10 Everyday Items You Should Be Washing More Often

Maintaining household cleanliness extends well beyond aesthetic considerations—it directly impacts your health and indoor environment. Numerous everyday objects accumulate bacteria, particulate matter, and residue at surprising rates, yet remain absent from standard cleaning protocols. These overlooked reservoirs—from bedroom cushions to electronic devices—can significantly affect wellness within your living space.

This guide examines ten frequently neglected items requiring regular sanitation, alongside practical methods for maintaining their cleanliness.

Bedroom Essentials Requiring Attention

Sleep Cushions

Sanitize: Quarterly

While pillowcases receive frequent laundering, the cushions beneath often go untreated for years. These absorb perspiration, skin particles, and provide habitat for microscopic organisms, potentially triggering respiratory sensitivities and unpleasant odors.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Verify manufacturer instructions—most polyester-filled and down varieties tolerate machine washing
• Select mild cleaning agents with lukewarm water cycles
• Tumble dry using low heat settings with dryer spheres to maintain loft

Bedding Linens

Sanitize: Weekly

Humans spend approximately one-third of life between sheets, depositing bodily oils, perspiration, and epidermal cells. This combination creates ideal conditions for dust mite proliferation and bacterial growth.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Utilize maximum water temperature to eliminate microorganisms
• Launder pillowcases simultaneously for comprehensive freshness
• Increase frequency for households with companion animals

Kitchen Contamination Zones

Cleaning Implements

Replace: Biweekly

Despite their cleaning purpose, kitchen sponges absorb food residue, grease, and pathogenic organisms, making them among your home’s most contaminated objects. Their appearance belies potential harboring of harmful bacteria including E. coli.

Interim Sanitization Methods:

• Microwave dampened sponge for 60 seconds to neutralize pathogens
• Submerge in vinegar solution or diluted bleach for five minutes
• Process through dishwasher’s highest temperature cycle

Culinary Linens

Sanitize: After 3-4 uses (bath), after each use (kitchen)

Moisture retention in bath towels creates ideal bacterial breeding environments. Kitchen counterparts collect cooking residue and surface contaminants, necessitating even more vigilant cleaning.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Wash using maximum water temperature with robust detergents
• Avoid conditioning agents which compromise absorption properties
• Ensure complete drying to prevent mildew formation

Personal Care Items

Dental Hygiene Equipment

Replace brush: Quarterly Clean holder: Weekly

Oral care implements remain in consistently damp environments, encouraging microbial proliferation. Their storage containers accumulate water and paste residue, creating unrecognized contamination points.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Rinse implements thoroughly with hot water following each use
• Weekly immersion in hydrogen peroxide solution for several minutes
• Clean storage containers with soap solution followed by alcohol disinfection

Electronic Devices

Communication and Entertainment Controls

Sanitize: Twice weekly

Mobile devices accompany users everywhere—including restrooms—accumulating pathogens throughout daily activities. Similarly, television controls receive frequent handling yet rare cleaning attention.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Apply alcohol-based sanitizing wipes or microfiber with isopropyl alcohol
• Prevent moisture penetration into electronic components
• Reduce contamination through regular hand washing

Frequently Touched Surfaces

Contact Points

Sanitize: Weekly

Switches, handles, and similar high-contact surfaces accumulate contaminants from countless hand contacts daily. These overlooked transmission vectors deserve regular attention.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Apply disinfectant solutions or diluted vinegar
• Prioritize bathroom and kitchen contact points
• Increase frequency during household illness episodes

Personal Accessories and Children’s Items

Portable Carriers

Sanitize: Biweekly

Purses, backpacks, and similar carriers contact numerous surfaces—floors, shopping carts, public seating. Their undersides may harbor more contaminants than bathroom fixtures.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Machine wash fabric versions using gentle cycles
• Clean leather varieties with appropriate disinfectant wipes
• Pay special attention to handles—the most frequently touched sections

Playthings

Sanitize: Weekly (more frequently for heavily used items)

Children’s toys collect dust, microbes, and saliva. Particularly for young children who frequently mouth objects, regular sanitization becomes essential.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Hard plastic items: Submerge in soapy solution or process through dishwasher
• Plush toys: Check manufacturing labels—many tolerate gentle machine washing
• Electronic components: Surface clean with appropriate sanitizing wipes

Environmental Considerations

Reusable Shopping Containers

Sanitize: After several shopping trips

While environmentally beneficial, reusable market bags trap bacteria from produce, uncooked proteins, and public surfaces.

Sanitization Protocol:

• Machine wash fabric varieties using hot water cycles
• Surface clean insulated or plastic versions with appropriate disinfectants
• Store in dry locations to prevent mold development

Regular attention to these frequently overlooked items significantly enhances household hygiene. Implementing simple practices—like consistent pillowcase laundering, electronic device disinfection, or timely kitchen implement replacement—substantially reduces microbial presence and promotes household wellness.