A report from Business Insider revealed 95 percent of Americans are under a stay-at-home directive in an effort to “flatten the curve.” Some states, including California and New York, are under strict statewide lockdown. Others, such as Utah, have local counties encouraging people to stay at home.
Since you’ll be spending your time indoors, take this opportunity to do some spring cleaning. Sprucing up your home can be beneficial for your mental health. Psychologists say tidying up the house helps manage stress and anxiety.
Here are three cleaning tasks to keep you busy:
1. Tidy up the Bathroom
The bathroom should be one of the cleanest spaces in your house since you use it for personal hygiene and to relax after a long day. So thoroughly scrub and wash down various parts of the bathroom, including the toilet, sink, glass shower door, bathtub, and tile grout. By cleaning this part of your house, you can get rid of mildew, dirt, and other buildup that may get you and your family sick.
2. Clean the Inside of Your Car
Since you won’t be using your car frequently, you’ll have a chance to tidy up the inside of your vehicle. Dispose of the recyclable trash lying around, such as empty water bottles, cardboard items, and old magazines, into a recycling container. Then, use car cleaning wipes to remove dirt sitting on the central console, dashboard, steering wheel, and inside windows.
If you come across stains on the seats and carpets, dip a clean cloth in a solution of warm water, white vinegar, and dish soap. Alternatively, you can use carpet stain removers to get rid of stubborn or tougher stains.
3. Clean and Organize the Fridge
Keeping your fridge clean reduces the likelihood of contracting foodborne contamination and illnesses. Additionally, organizing the contents inside your refrigerator allows you to locate the food or ingredients you need easily.
When cleaning your fridge, start by emptying the contents of every shelf. Throw away items that are way past the expiry date. Next, sanitize the interior of the refrigerator by wiping the shelves with disinfecting wipes.
Once you’ve finished cleaning and sanitizing your fridge, come up with a game plan to arrange the contents by section and work through them one at a time.
Here’s one way to store items by shelf:
- Upper Shelf – Place food or ingredients that are nearing the expiration date. You can also put ready-to-eat items here, such as string cheese and crackers.
- Lower Shelf – Store raw, packaged meats in this section of the fridge. These ingredients should go to the lowest part of the shelf. Then, place other raw ingredients, such as herbs and vegetables, above the meat section.
- Door Shelf – The door is the warmest part of the refrigerator. The only items that should go here are less-perishable items, such as butter, condiments, and sauces.
These household cleaning tasks will allow you to tidy up your place and keep your mind off the lockdown. If you live with family, have them help you clean the house. This way, you get the work done faster and enjoy doing something together.
