When you are a homeowner, there are many things you need to take care of and keep up on. Often, you will need to call a professional when you have large projects you need to clean or service. There are areas in your home you can take care of yourself. Take a look at this list of seven things around the home that need to be cleaned or changed regularly to look and feel its best.

  1. Sponges and Soap

One of the smallest items around your house is also one of the most hazardous. Sponges collect bacteria and germs that can make you sick, so it is best to swap them out with fresh ones when they look discolored, leak an unidentifiable liquid, or smell off. Similarly, when you go about the house changing out sponges in the bathroom or the kitchen, check the soap. If you have a dispenser bottle that is nearly empty, get a new one or top it off. That is especially true when hands need to be washed so often.

  1. Change the Sheets

A good night’s rest is one of the most critical things to a healthy and happy life. One of the things you can do to promote that is keeping your bed a clean and comfortable place to rest. Are you wondering, “how often should you change your sheets?” A good rule of thumb is to change your sheets every week. For guest rooms or sheets that do not get a lot of use, it is alright to leave the sheets on for longer.

  1. Mix Up the Carpet

With all of the walking we do in well-traveled areas of our homes, the floor coverings can get a lot of dirt build-up. We all know it is important to keep our carpets clean, but what about installing new carpeting? Even the best carpets with the best care do not last forever. It can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most carpets last around ten years. After this time period, you can start to see visible wear to the carpet fibers, including loss of texture and fullness. Many people choose to put smaller area rugs on larger carpeted areas or hard flooring. With proper care and attention, these should last for much longer.

  1. How Are Your Walls?

When you think of a home, you think of a roof, but also some walls. It is important to take good care of your walls as they provide one of the most critical elements of your home’s structural integrity. Use a dishcloth soaked in water and some soap to clean any visible marks off the wall, though more staining products may need more heavy-duty cleaning chemicals.

  1. Keep the Air Flowing Freely

You definitely want to be aware of your furnace filter. You do not want it to get clogged up with dirt so it cannot do its job. However, knowing when to change the filter can be confusing. The thing is, it is all based on size. Smaller filters get clogged more easily, so if they are only an inch or two, you will want to change them every single month. Larger filters, five inches or more can be left on for longer. The manufacturer can answer any questions that you have and give you more information.

  1. Make the View More Attractive

The blinds on your windows are one of those things that can say a lot about you. Broken or bent blinds have a look that can make a home appear ramshackle, so it is important to change them when you notice signs of wear. Blinds are pretty simple to install yourself, with many manufacturers giving you step by step instructions to achieve your goal.

  1. Look After the Structural Integrity of Your Home

One thing homeowners and those who work on homes can agree on is the importance of keeping your gutters clean. Not only will this protect your infrastructure from an array of damaging effects, but it just looks nice. On a schedule, every other week, look at your gutters. Remove large items clogging them, and every year have a big clean up of all the accumulated debris.