Five Things in Your Home You Should Probably Replace Right Now

Keeping the house clean is not easy, but don’t let these tasks fall into oblivion.

While it’s important for you to keep the house clean, there’s a lot to do. There are the obvious things: take out the garbage, empty the dishwasher, vacuum the house….. If you forget any of these tasks, you’ll feel the effects almost immediately. But they are also so obvious that doing them is easy (or easier, anyway). Then there are the less frequent but equally important tasks, like changing sponges and cleaning the refrigerator.

But what about the things in your home that you should be paying attention to, but forget about because you don’t have to deal with cleaning or replacing them very often? If you really want to make your home an oasis of cleanliness, here are four things you should check; chances are, you need to clean or replace them right now.

1-The dryer lint filter
You probably check your dryer’s lint filter every time you use it, but when was the last time you gave it a good cleaning? If you’ve noticed that your clothes are taking much longer to dry than they used to, you may have just found the culprit: remove the lint filter and check to make sure it’s not clogged with a buildup of fabric softener or other materials. Soak it in hot water and clean it with a soft bristle brush to get the air flowing again. If the lint trap is damaged, you should replace it to prevent lint from entering the dryer’s innards, a much more difficult problem to fix.

2- The shower curtain liner.
How long has it been since you’ve changed your shower liner? Did you know that this material can harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat? Experts recommend washing your shower curtain every month, especially if it’s made of fabric, which absorbs mildew better, and changing it once a year. (Don’t believe claims that your vinyl curtain is “mildew resistant”: it never really is.)

3-Your drying mat
Like shower curtain covers, dryer mats are easy to forget and just as prone to mold and mildew. You should change the mats once or twice a week; they’re usually sturdy enough that you can wash and reuse them, but don’t hesitate to wash them. (Incidentally, clean the dish drainer every week).

4- Pillows
It’s the last thing you touch before you go to sleep and the first thing you touch when you wake up. Your pillows will naturally accumulate oils, dirt and sweat from daily use, most of which will be removed by tossing the pillowcases in the washing machine (tell me you wash pillowcases). But it’s not a bad idea to change pillows every year or two, so that you always have a (relatively) clean, comfortable and snug place to lay your head at night.

5-The toilet seat
The idea of changing the toilet seat had never crossed my mind, but it turns out that, according to BobVila.com, it needs to be changed every five to seven years. Any longer and it’s likely to crack, start slipping every time you sit down, or accumulate weird orange mineral stains that you can’t remove, especially if you live in an area with hard water.