Do your kids love to play on the floor? Mine do. And while my concern with keeping the floors clean and bacteria-free for my kids is pretty real, my worst nightmare is cleaning the floors after my munchkins are done with jumping, running, car racing and saving the world batman-style.

One of my biggest concerns in the household is to keep the floors constantly clean. But here’s something I only recently learned – even if the floors seem clean you can eat off them, if the broom and mop were not cleaned before use, chances are the floors aren’t as clean as they seem.

I recently stumbled upon a forum (needed an advice on how to clean motor oil from a shirt; yes, my dear hubby likes doing manly stuff in ‘date nights’ outfits), and one mum of three pointed out that just because a tool is used for cleaning, it does not necessarily mean it is self-cleaning. In fact, the cleaning tools can harbor dirt, debris, bacteria and odors if not being properly taken care of. She also pointed out one very interesting fact, the better you maintain your house cleaning products, the longer they will last and the less money you will have to spend on buying new ones. Do you know what this means; more money to do something else with my superheroes or even better, a relaxing massage for me (I so desperately need one).

So here is my royal flush, my cleaning tips on how-to and how often you should clean your house cleaning products and tools.

Cleaning the broom

I always remove loose particles from my broom, and vacuum the bristles. Once a month I place the broom in a bucket with warm-water-soap and let it soak for an hour; I then rinse well and let it dry for several hours before using it again. My advice – get yourself two brooms, one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen; I NEVER EVER, sweep my kitchen floor with the broom I’ve used in the bathroom. Just thinking about it grosses me out.

Cleaning the mop

Once a week I remove the head of my microfiber mop from the handle and machine wash it on the hot setting (I use a mild detergent, usually the one I use to wash my kids’ clothing) and tumble-dry. If you have a sponge mop instead, I guess the best thing to do would be soaking it in a bucket with 1 cup hot water and 1 cup vinegar for 30 minutes (I LOVE vinegar, it is my new obsession; it cleans pretty much everything and it offers so many health benefits. I mean what’s not to love). Rinse well and allow it to air dry completely. I personally prefer microfiber and not just because of its cleaning powers but because it last longer; the sponge-mop heads need to be replaced monthly regardless of your care routine.

Cleaning the sponge

I cannot emphasize enough – cleaning the sponges every day or two is a must. There really isn’t any science to it; just place the kitchen sponges on the top rack of your dishwasher and wash them together with the regular load. Sponges you use to clean the bathroom, now that’s another story. They really require a much thorough cleanse, so it’s best to soak them for about 10 minutes in a mixture of hot water and vinegar and then, place them in the microwave on a high for about two minutes. But beware: sponges that contain metal should not be placed in the microwave. Besides cleaning them regularly, make sure to replace your sponges every other week.

Cleaning the toilet brush

I’ve got to admit, I clean my toilet brush every second day, but if this is too much for you, please clean it at least once a week and with a germ-killing disinfecting cleanser. Here’s my ‘bacteria hate me’ cleaning solution: pour 2 cups of bleach into the toilet bowl and then submerge the brush in it for an hour. Rinse well and allow it to air-dry. Admit it, this is easy.

Cleaning the cloths

Regular cleaning cloths can be simply washed in the washing machine on the hottest cycle. I usually add half a cup of baking soda to the laundry detergent to brighten and deodorize cloths. Of course, the too dirty once go straight to my garbage bin.

Hope you liked my advice and perhaps some of my tips will make your next cleaning mission a piece of cake and maybe even inspire you to clean more often. Knowing how to properly clean your house cleaning products is job half done; you have all your tools prepared to make your home a cozy, dust-free, glowing paradise.

Please share some of your cleaning tips and advice. I’m always open to new suggestions, after all I do share a home with three boys 🙂