Whether you’re cleaning your home to sanitize after being sick or simply because the change of seasons is motivating you to tidy up, it’s certainly a good use of your time. The cleanliness factor of your home can seriously influence your health. But to help preserve your health, it’s important to know how to effectively clean. It’s also key to be aware of surprising places in your living space that are typical hot spots for germs, mold, and dust.
“High surfaces like the tops of refrigerators and cabinets, and low surfaces like carpets, can be dusty and affect the quality of the air we breathe, which then affects our respiratory health,” says Kadi Banjoko, PhD, an infection preventionist in the department of clinical epidemiology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Meanwhile, other areas can harbor germs from your gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system. This can happen anytime you use the bathroom, cough, sneeze, and wash your mouth in the sink, Dr. Banjoko says. These germs have the potential to contribute to sickness, too.
The moral of the story: Good health begins at home. So, do yourself a favor and add the following often-neglected areas and things to your spring-cleaning routine:
1. Windowsills
“Windowsills are an easy place for mold to grow, and it’s not always apparent to homeowners,” says Tim Dunphy, the Cleveland-based chief growth officer at Home Genius Exteriors, a home improvement company. Mold spores appear as small, discolored areas on your windowsills and, if left untreated, can damage your window and home air quality, he says.
Exposure to mold can cause people with asthma and mold allergies to get symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes or skin. And according to Cleveland Clinic, there may also be a link between mold exposure and upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in people who do not have an allergy.
To clean mold and condensation from your windowsills and frames, you can use the following solution of chlorine bleach: Mix three-fourths of a cup of chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of water. Be sure to wear a protective mask and rubber gloves.
2. HVAC Filters
If your home has a central heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system, change the filter regularly, says Jessica Hui, MD, an allergy and immunology physician at National Jewish Health in Denver. Filters catch particles that affect the air quality inside your home, including pollen, animal allergens, and mold spores. If you let the filters fill up and sit too long, it can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.
Replace your air filter (ideally a high-quality HEPA filter) about every three months. Start the habit during spring-cleaning.
3. Base of Toilets
Even if you clean your toilets regularly, chances are you skip the base where the toilet is held to the ground. “I tend to see pee just sitting on the base of the toilet, especially when I visit homes with little kids,” Banjoko says. Urine left on the base of the toilet (or anywhere, really) can harbor germs, while the moisture can contribute to mold that can increase the risk for or worsen respiratory ailments like allergies and asthma.
Banjoko recommends using bleach or a product that’s been labeled with words like “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” to clean these germy areas. Common ingredients to look for on the label include pine oil, quaternary ammonium compounds, sodium hypochlorite, phenols, and ethanol.
4. Water Filters
An old filter can develop mold, which immediately affects the quality of your water and, by extension, your family's health. “Homeowners [often] don’t tend to their water filtration systems because they aren’t top of mind,” Dunphy says. “Some households can go months or years without properly cleaning or replacing their filters.”
Ingesting some molds can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems, whereas other forms can make you sick.
How often you need to clean or replace a filter depends on the appliance, so check the manufacturer’s instructions for guidance. As a general guideline, replace your refrigerator filter every three to nine months, according to Dunphy. If you have a whole home water treatment system to purify your tap water, replace the filter every three to seven years.
5. Closets and Mudrooms
Dunphy says that closets and mudrooms get a ton of traffic. These are places where you and your family kick off winter boots, stack coats and jackets, and drop off sweaty gym bags. Winter weather, in particular, tends to introduce moisture to these areas, such as from melted snow, leading to mold when left to sit.
To keep these spots clean, give your closets and mudrooms a deep clean with your go-to cleaning products at the beginning of each season. Dunphy recommends removing all items before cleaning so you can get into every nook and cranny.
6. Pets
Don’t forget your four-legged friends: Pets can bring dirt, dander, and outdoor allergens like pollen into the home, all potentially worsening allergies and introducing new germs. Dogs can carry germs that can cause a variety of illnesses in people, including minor infections like ringworm and serious illnesses like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Cats can cause many of the same infections and illnesses, along with cat-specific ailments like cat scratch disease (a mild infection).
“It’s important to groom them frequently to minimize dander exposure and clean them of allergens they’ve picked up outdoors,” Dr. Hui says. Bring pets to a professional groomer or give them a DIY at-home bath. Also, get in the habit of providing your pets with routine veterinary care and washing your hands thoroughly after interacting with them, per the CDC.
7. Gutters
“Since gutters are out of sight, they’re often forgotten when spring-cleaning rolls around. However, it’s recommended that you check and clean your gutters every six months to prevent overflow,” Dunphy says.
The benefit of cleaning them in the spring is that you can get rid of any debris or water that may have built up over the winter from ice dams. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of your roof and prevents snowmelt from draining. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into your home, causing mold and mildew to grow.
The Takeaway
Keeping your home clean is an important way to preserve your health. Certain areas of the living space are hot spots for harboring mold, germs, and dust, which can aggravate allergies and otherwise compromise health.
Experts suggest paying special attention to cleaning window sills, HVAC filters, toilet bases, water filters, closets and mudrooms, pets, and gutters to maintain a healthy home.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Stephen Kimura, MD, is a board-certified allergist and immunologist. He's been in private practice in Pensacola, Florida, for the past 25 years with the Medical Center Clinic, a multi-specialty practice. He enjoys working with people who were seen as patients as children and now are bringing their children to him for care.
Dr. Kimura received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He went on to complete his residency at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later received additional training in allergy and immunology during his fellowship at the University of Kansas.
Kimura grew up in Hawaii, and says he has many happy memories of coming home from school to go surfing, snorkeling, and swimming at the beaches there.
Lauren Bedosky is an experienced health and fitness writer. She regularly contributes to top websites and publications like Men's Health, Women's Health, MyFitnessPal, SilverSneakers, Runner's World, Experience Life, Prevention, AARP, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Livestrong, Fitness, Shape, Family Circle, Healthline, Self, Redbook, and Women's Running.
When she's not writing about health and fitness — her favorite topics being anything related to running and strength training — she's reading up on the latest and greatest news in the field and working on her own health goals.
