Simple Ways to Clean Your Cleaning Tools
Cleaning tools are helping hands when getting our homes spic and span, but once in a while your tools need a good cleaning. Dirty cleaning tools are no longer helping you clean they are just spreading the dirt around.
Here are Simple Ways to Clean Your Cleaning Tools
Brushes: Scrub Brushes, Toilet Brushes, Dish Brushes, Toothbrushes Used for Cleaning, etc.
It is important to get deep between those bristles every once in a while to loosen and get rid of the gunk hiding in there after scrubbing away dirt from other things. To get out the sneaky dirt that hides at the bottom of the bristles, put on a pair of gloves and grab the gunk at the bottom of the bristle then pull up the bristle and out of the brush. You can also use disposable chopsticks to do it.
Once all of the extra gunk is pulled from the bristles you want to soak your brushes in soapy water. Fill a utility sink or bucket with warm water and a little bit of hand dishwashing soap OR ½ cup of oxygen bleach. Let them soak for about 15 minutes to half an hour and rinse. Finish by setting your brushes bristle-side down on a paper towel to dry out.
Make sure to always rinse your brushes after every cleaning use and wash them out once a month.
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Sponges
You can use a few different methods to clean your sponges. The first method is to run them in the sanitize setting of your dishwasher. A second option is to grab a shallow microwave-safe bowl fill it with some water, stick the sponge in the water, and microwave it on high to kill the germs. If you microwave a sponge make sure it does not have steel wool or a metallic scrubber.
A third method you could use is to soak them in bleach water, we suggest oxygen bleach instead of chlorine. When done soaking rinse the sponge very well. Let the sponges dry fully. Ideally, you should wash your sponges weekly and replace monthly.
More: How to Make Your Home Clean Longer
Cloths/Rags
When it comes to cleaning cloths you probably think cleaning them is as simple as tossing them in the laundry. While the best way to wash cleaning cloths is in the washing machine, there are some things to know about washing your cloths to get them truly clean and prolong their useful life.
For cotton cleaning cloths or old shirts and towels used as cloths, wash them on the hottest cycle with a bit of baking soda added to the soap. If your cleaning cloths are greasy you can wash them with a little bit of Coca-cola.
Microfiber cleaning cloths need special care in the washing machine to ensure they can continue to help you clean your home. These clothes are designed to hold static electricity and should never be washed with fabric softener as this will pull out the intended static cling that makes them so effective. Likewise no dryer sheets should be used when you put them in the dryer. Microfiber washed with these items clogs the strands and then instead of buffing and dusting like they used to they could end up scratching and leaving streaks. Microfiber clothes can be washed up to 500 times with just a little bit of laundry detergent and plain air in the dryer or line drying. Do not use microfiber to clean anything greasy, oily, waxy, or to polish anything there is no way to clean these things out of microfiber.
More: How to Make Your Own Cleaning Tools
Mops and Brooms
Our favorite mop and mopping method is one with a washable head that looks like a Swiffer for a “dry mopping” method. These mop heads are easy to switch out and stick in the washing machine after mopping. You can wash your mop head in the same manner as your cloths/rags making sure to give it the proper material care.
Brooms can be cleaned much in the same way as brushes. Simply clean out any debris and then stick in a bucket of warm soapy water and let soak for a bit then rinse and set out to dry.
Take care of your cleaning tools and they will continue to help you take care of your home.
For more cleaning tips and tricks please check out our site. For carpet cleaning in Arlington and surrounding areas, make an appointment online or over the phone with All Kleen.