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Having a clean home isn’t just for show. While many of us frantically clean in the 20 minutes leading up to having house guests and only then, we should really consider how having a tidy home benefits us all day, every day. Studies have found many connections between the cleanliness of our living environments and our wellbeing. One study found that those who describe their home as being in disarray report higher levels of stress overall. Another study found that having a clean home might motivate us to do more physical activity, improving our heart health. All of that said, there has been a drop in Americans who say they plan on spring cleaning as compared to last year. And 10 percent of individuals in this survey reported that they never clean for spring.
COVID-19 has changed our relationship to cleanliness. While on the one hand, we’re obsessed with cleaning habits that can prevent the spread of the virus like sanitizing our hands often and running disinfectant wipes over surfaces regularly, on the other hand, we aren’t having many houseguests over, so we aren’t as concerned with the appearance of our places and the overall cleanliness of them. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be. Here are overlooked spring cleaning tips that will really make you and your home feel refreshed.
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Wash your reusable bags
Do you bring your own bags to the grocery store and farmer’s market? That’s excellent! You’re doing your part to save the environment, and you’re saving yourself a few bucks over time since you don’t need to pay for bags at the store. That being said, you take those bags and fill them with items that hundreds of grubby hands touched before you did. Think of how many people feel 15 avocados, just like you do, before picking one out. You take yours and put it in your washable bag. You do this with dozens of things every week. Now that bag has grime on it. Germs continue to pile onto new groceries you bring home. Check the label, and if you can put your reusable bag in the washing machine, do so. Otherwise, simply turn it inside out and wash it in the sink with soap and water, and let it air dry.
