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People with perpetually clean homes share 5-minute for  'instantly cleaner' living spaces

Small tasks, big wins.

Image via Canva/PIKSEL

People with clean homes share their best 5-minute cleaning hacks.

Some people are gifted with the ability to keep their home clean and organized at all times. For others, maintaining a clean home can be a constant battle.

To help those in the latter group, people with perpetually clean homes are sharing their best cleaning hacks. Specifically, they offered up their favorite five-minute cleaning tips that are easy and quick to complete.

With these 17 quick cleaning tips, your home will feel infinitely cleaner—and you won't dread getting after it. From the bedroom to living room to kitchen, these are the best five-minute cleaning tips.

cleaning, clean home, clean house, cleaning tips, cleaning hacks mary poppins cleaning GIF Giphy

"For me, doing a full reset on all the towels at once just makes me feel so accomplished! Trying to develop better routines for small tasks that can be done quickly." - Neat_Impact4865

"Emptying every trash can in the house and throwing away any boxes or packaging that might be hanging around 😬. Cleaning off the dining table (clutter tends to gather on the table in our house). Quickly vacuuming high traffic areas." - hikeaddict

"This 100%! Getting the trash and empty boxes out. I would add throwing a load of towels in the washer to get a step ahead. Sweeping the kitchen floor is a good one, too." - Goge97

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Doing the dishes." - Cortneykathleen

"Buy a carpet rake [for pet hair]. I am telling you, what a difference! I have a vacuum that sucks the most of any vacuum I have ever had but when I rake that carpet before I vacuum, huge difference!" - pyxus1

"Making beds cleans half the room space..." - eclipsed2112

"Quick clean of bathroom (I only use one): vacuum the hair up, wipe down the counters, scrub the toilet bowl, wipe down the toilet, clean and wipe down sink. * wipe down with spray cleaner. I usually use tea tree/water/dawn solution. Bleach tbc in toilet." - No-Tradition3054

clean up, clean home, clean house, cleaning, cleaning gif Chasing Tom And Jerry GIF by HBO Max Giphy

"In the bedroom: making the bed and cleaning off The Chair ™️. You may be lucky or unlucky enough to have one, but it’s that chair that always accumulates all of the 'worn for a few hours' or 'tried on but ultimately decided not to wear' clothes in your closet, lol." - rachel_anna

"I bought a separate 'not dirty' hamper where I throw clothes I wear to my sedentary email spreadsheet office job. Every other week or so, I bring it all out and put it on hangers and back into the rotation." - yous_a_b*tch

"Rule of 3! Dishes, clothes, trash. Taking care of one of those sections in 5-10 minutes- Tasmanian devil style makes a huge difference." - YourSmallIntestine

"I love pouring boiling water down all the drains." - Striking_Pay_6961

@anna_louisa_at_home

Book release day!! 🎉 So excited that my book is now officially out in the world! ‘The 5 Minute Clean Routine’ is packed full of cleaning tips and tricks to make cleaning quicker, easier and less overwhelming. It also shares example cleaning routines and guides you to creating your own customised daily, weekly and monthly routines for your own home that you can use again and again to keep on top of it all! It’s available now from Amazon, Waterstones, Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda and WHSmith! 🥰 And my latest interview with NetMums can be found linked in bio where I talk all about how I developed my new approach to the housework ‘The 5 Minute Clean Routine’ after becoming a mummy 🥰 . #cleaningtips #cleaningmotivation #instaclean #cleaningaccount #cleantok #cleantok101 #cleantokuk

"Clear and wipe down all the counters/mirrors in the kitchen or bathroom is a huge one. Make the bed. Draw the curtains and open the windows to get UV and airflow going through the house." - aspiringgentlefriend

"Making my bed in the morning. Going to bed with a sink free of dishes. Putting clothes in the bin, putting away clean laundry immediately. Vacuuming. Cleaning out my fridge every week. If I buy something new I get rid of something old. Every six months I go through and purge anything I didn’t wear or notice existed. Or when I’m putting away my clothes, pulling out the clothes for the season coming up. I have ADHD and am going the non medicated route after trying them for three years. The biggest thing that helps me is doing things when I see it vs putting it off for later. If I can’t, I make lists in my life planner. I’d highly suggest the Erin Condren planners for anyone, but ADHD folks especially." - lowridda

"Keep the dishwasher changed. I put the clean, wet dishes on the rack I use to dry the pans I wash by hand so everyone can put the dirty ones in it and out of sight. The other day I began keeping the Swiffer nearby so I can touch up the little drips and spots. I won't have to do a two bucket deep mop anytime soon." - Such-Mountain-6316

dishwasher, dishwasher cleaning, cleaning, cleaning tips, cleaning hacks Load Dishwasher GIF by beko Giphy

"Organizing the Tupperware cabinet so you're not scared every time you open it! I did it today and couldn't believe how little time it took." - MuttButt301

"Polishing the stainless steel kitchen appliances. Suddenly, bam, kitchen looks fab." - awcurlz

"For me, it's putting little things like hair products and hand creams--or chargers, remote controls and tons of other little things--back where they belong. Every few days I go through and gather up all these items and tidy them away. They wind up all over, again, eventually but just for that bit of time, I feel accomplished. I do want to add that I think it's harder when you live alone. Like if someone's around and you can ask them to hand you the whatever, use it, and then have them put it back, that's the whole thing sorted. Alone, it's just different." - cherry-care-bear

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Woman reveals how people get such long-lasting spray tans and it's grossing people out

As a first-timer, she was shocked at the instructions.

Photo credit: Canva

Woman is disgusted after learning the truth behind lasting spray tans.

Not everyone tans easily, and for some, reducing the risk of skin cancer and premature excess wrinkles is more important than laying out with a bottle of baby oil. For those who want a tan without the massive amounts of UV exposure, spray tanning is a good option. You can get the sun-kissed, recently back from vacation look without the risk.

The process is simple. You walk into a room and someone comes in with what looks like an airbrush gun and sprays a nice even layer or two of artificial melanin on your skin. It can even out your skin tone, leaving your skin looking healthy and more vibrant. There is a catch though–it's temporary.

spray tans; spray tan care; hygiene after spray tan; how to make spray tan last; truth behind spray tansPhoto credit: Canva

Technically a summer tan acquired the old-fashioned way is also temporary, but it generally takes weeks or months to completely fade away. But a spray tan only lasts about 5-10 days depending on how well you "care" for it. A woman who goes by the name Miss Redacted on TikTok recently received her first spray tan, and when given the instructions for how to extend the life of her spray tan through "proper care," she was left flabbergasted.

Of course, when you get something done to your body you are expecting that there will be specific instructions on how to care for the new thing. Whether it's a piercing, a tattoo, or even a chemical peel, you expect an overload of informative care instructions before you're allowed to leave the place you received the service.

So the woman was not surprised to receive the rundown on making sure her skin remained glowingly sun-kissed for as long as possible. What she wasn't expecting was the lack of care. Or maybe the better description would be the lack of hygiene required to maintain her newly tanned skin.

Season 10 Episode 3 GIF by FriendsGiphy

"Recently I got a spray tan for the first time because I really like being tan but I don't want to have wrinkles later because I'm obviously very vain. So I went the first time and I expected that I wouldn't be able to shower normally for the first 12-24 hours, and that didn't bother me that much because I'm like, okay, I understand the tan has to set in. I can be gross for a half a day, a day max, whatever, it's not that serious," Miss Redacted says before explaining the woman who did her spray tan began talking her through the process.

The confused woman recalls a roommate in college who used to get spray tanned all the time as she put the pieces together on hygiene and spray tans. She tells the person doing her spray tan that she generally showers twice a day using soap and a silicone scrubber to wash her entire body, to which the spray tan artist immediately tells her not to use the scrubber on her body because it will take her tan off.

spray tans; spray tan care; hygiene after spray tan; how to make spray tan last; showeringPhoto credit: Canva

"I was like, 'Oh so don't use it the first shower?' and she was like 'No, like not at all.' And I was like 'What should I use instead of that?'" the first-time customer explains.

She was shocked to hear the artist tell her that she needed to switch to a washcloth and only use it to wash her, "underarms, your bikini area, and under your bra line." Again, Miss Redacted clarifies that means for the first shower only, but the artist reiterates not to put soap on your body "at all" for the first shower, only using a washcloth in the areas she previously mentioned. Once again, the woman was dumbfounded and asks again, what the spray tan artist means.

"I was like, 'what do you mean?' And she was like, 'if you want your tan to last the full 10 days, when you shower only use soap in those areas and just do water everywhere else,'" she says.

There was no getting around the idea that in order for the spray tan to last the woman was not going to be able to properly wash herself and she was thoroughly uncomfortable with that idea, informing the artist that she was going to continue to bathe regularly. Miss Redacted was told that if she bathed like normal her spray tan would only last five or six days.

spray tans; spray tan care; hygiene after spray tan; how to make spray tan last; showerPhoto credit: Canva

"Because I got down this rabbit hole, I started reading about it on Reddit and some of the ways that girls were saying they maintained their spray tans is absolutely insane. Absolutely insane. Like y'all need a bath. Y'all need a...actually a hose down. Let's like put you in the yard with some Dawn, like you're one of the ducks in an oil spill. I think that's what's needed at this point," the woman jokes before clarifying that she doesn't think every woman getting spray tanned is avoiding bathing.

But when it comes to the ick factor over the ones who have been skipping the shower for weeks at a time, the woman isn't the only one feeling the heebie jeebies. Commenters are also shocked and a little grossed out.

One person summoned knowledge from the legal scholar, Elle Woods, saying, "I can see not washing for 24 hours in order to not activate the ammonia thioglycolate."

"I will just continue to embrace my Morticia Addams aesthetic then because I will be scrubbing," another woman says.

spray tans; spray tan care; hygiene after spray tan; how to make spray tan last; truth behind spray tansSome people would prefer to just not be tan than not fully clean themselves.Photo credit: Canva

"What do you mean? WHAT DO YOU MEAN," one person demands, seeking answers that likely involve soap and water.

"The first time I spray tanned, I used a washcloth and most of the tan came off. I knew at that moment people aren't showering properly. There is no way a spray tan is lasting 10 days," a commenter reveals.

Other people explain how they get their spray tans to last longer while continuing to shower daily by using tinted moisturizers and body lotions that have a gradual tanner in it. The consensus seems to be that regular spray tanning is expensive without finding an affordable alternative to maintain the tan between sessions while continuing to bathe, but spray tanning before a special occasion is preferred. Who knew hygiene after spray tanning was such an involved art form?

This article originally appeared last year.

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Are you washing your sheets as often as you should be? Experts settle the bedding debate.

The average American is likely waiting too long between washings.

Photo credit: Canva

How often are you supposed to wash your sheets?

If you were to ask a random group of people, "How often do you wash your sheets?" you'd likely get drastically different answers. There are the "Every single Sunday without fail" folks, the "Who on Earth washes their sheets weekly?!?" people and everyone in between.

According to a survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by Mattress Advisor, the average time between sheet changings or washings in the U.S. is 24 days—or every 3 1/2 weeks, approximately. The same survey revealed that 35 days is the average interval at which unwashed sheets are "gross."

washing sheets, bedding, how often should you wash your sheets, making the bedApparently, most Americans don't wash their sheets as often as experts recommend.Photo credit: Canva

Some of you are cringing at those stats while others are thinking, "That sounds about right." But how often should you wash your sheets, according to experts?

How often should you wash your sheets?

Hint: It's a lot more frequent than 24 days.

While there is no definitive number of days or weeks, most experts recommend swapping out used sheets for clean ones every week or two.

Dermatologist Alok Vij, MD told Cleveland Clinic that people should wash their sheets at least every two weeks, but probably more often if you have pets, live in a hot climate, sweat a lot, are recovering from illness, have allergies or asthma, or if you sleep naked.

washing sheets, bedding, how often should you wash your sheetsExperts recommend washing sheet every week or two.Photo credit: Canva

We shed dead skin all the time, and friction helps those dead skin cells slough off, so imagine what's happening every time you roll over and your skin rubs on the sheets. It's normal to sweat in your sleep, too, so that's also getting on your sheets. And then there's dander and dust mites and dirt that we carry around on us just from living in the world, all combining to make for pretty dirty sheets in a fairly short period of time, even if they look "clean."

Maybe if you shower before bed and always wear clean pajamas you could get by with a two-week sheet swap cycle, but weekly sheet cleaning seems to be the general consensus among the experts. The New York Times consulted five books about laundry and cleaning habits, and once a week was what they all recommend.

Sorry, once-a-monthers. You may want to step up your sheet game a bit.

washing sheets, bedding, how often should you wash your sheets, making the bedThe rest of your bedding doesn't need to be washed as often.Photo credit: Canva

What about the rest of your bedding? Blankets and comforters and whatnot?

Sleep.com recommends washing your duvet cover once a week, but this depends on whether you use a top sheet. Somewhere between the Gen X and Millennial eras, young folks stopped being about the top sheet life, just using their duvet with no top sheet. If that's you, wash that baby once a week. If you do use a top sheet, you can go a couple weeks longer on the duvet cover.

For blankets and comforters and duvet inserts, Sleep.com says every 3 months. And for decorative blankets and quilts that you don't really use, once a year washing will suffice.

washing sheets, bedding, how often should you wash your sheets, pillowsDo you need to wash your pillows occasionally? Experts recommend it.Photo credit: Canva

What about pillows? Pillowcases should go in with the weekly sheet washing, but pillows themselves should be washed every 3 to 6 months. Washing pillows can be a pain, and if you don't do it right, you can end up with a lumpy pillow, but it's a good idea because between your sweat, saliva and skin cells, pillows can start harboring bacteria.

Finally, how about the mattress itself? Home influencers on TikTok can often be seen stripping their beds, sprinkling their mattress with baking soda, brushing it into the mattress fibers and then vacuuming it all out. Architectural Digest says the longer you leave baking soda on the mattress, the better—at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. Some people add a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda for some extra yummy smell.

@suzieqssss

Baking soda absorbs moisture and or odor and breaks down any residue that builds up! If you have allergies you should be doing this more often! #cleaning #lifehack #tiktokshopcybermonday #tiktokshopblackfriday #mattressvacuumcleaner

If that all sounds like way too much work, maybe just start with the sheets. Pick a day of the week and make it your sheet washing day. You might find that climbing into a clean, fresh set of sheets more often is a nice way to feel pampered without a whole lot of effort.

This article originally appeared last year.

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One teacher's simple, disgusting experiment drives home the importance of hand washing

"Hand sanitizer is not an alternative to washing hands!"

Facebook/Jaralee Metcalf

Simple. Disgusting. Informative.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in preventing the spread of illnesses and infections in hospitals was embarrassingly simple: hand washing. In 1846, Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that hand washing played a vital role in the spread of germs, and the practice soon became mandatory in hospitals. The simple act of scrubbing hands with soap and water literally saved lives.

Getting a kid to wash their hands, however, can be an uphill battle. While it's a common thing kids (don't) do, global perspective on the importance and effectiveness of hand washing has risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in 2023, before the emergence of COVID-19, a survey found that only about 36% of people always washed their hands with soap, 48% sometimes used soap, and an unsettling 16% of respondents said they wash without soap. After COVID-19 emerged, however, more than 72% of respondents reported using soap every time they washed their hands. There's nothing like a pandemic (and perhaps the reality of FAFO) to strike fear into the hearts of those chronic under washers, but in 2019, one teacher did a simple experiment to show her students just how important hand washing is.

"We did a science project in class this last month as flu season was starting," teacher Dayna Robertson and classroom behavioral specialist Jaralee Metcalf wrote on Facebook. "We took fresh bread and touched it. We did one slice untouched. One with unwashed hands. One with hand sanitizer. One with washed hands with warm water and soap. Then we decided to rub a piece on all our classroom Chromebooks." Robertson later noted that they normally do make a point to sanitize the classroom Chromebooks, but didn't that day in the name of science.

science, experiment, dexter's lab, cartoon, kids, hygiene Dexters Laboratory What A Fine Day For Science GIFGiphy

The bread was put into plastic bags and the germs were left to fester. The bread that had been touched by unwashed hands and the bread that had touched the Chromebook had the most mold. The bread that had been touched by hands washed with soap and water remained (relatively) good enough to eat.

This experiment has been done before, but Robertson expanded on it by testing the effectiveness of hand sanitizer. The bread that had been touched by hands cleaned with sanitizer also had a fair amount of mold on it, although not as much as the bread touched by unwashed hands.

bread, mold, experiment, education, hand washing, cleanlinessThe bread doesn't lie. Facebook/Jaralee Metcalf

"As somebody who is sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired," Robertson wrote, "wash your hands! Remind your kids to wash their hands! And hand sanitizer is not an alternative to washing hands!! At all!" It's kind of making us retroactively gag over seeing port-a-potties with hand sanitizer set up in lieu of sinks.

The experiment was prompted by a different science lesson. "We had just finished a science lesson on how leaves break down during winter. The kids were kind of grossed out by the mold, so we decided to run our own version using germs and mold from our own environment," Robertson told Scary Mommy.

Weirdly, the classroom experiment received some criticism. "Lots of people actually DEFENDED not washing their hands!" Robertson told Scary Mommy. "That was shocking! It really was just a simple classroom experiment to teach about mold but we have all learned more about how easily we can spread the germs we can't see."

In the 2019 lens, this lesson being about mold seems simple enough. All of us here in 2025, though, blessed (or cursed) with the experience of the pandemic, know that washing your hands really is as life-saving as Semmelweis proved nearly two centuries ago. Research done in 2020 and published in PubMed showed that individuals who washed their hands consistently were more likely to have lower rates of COVID-19 infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2024, hand washing also reduces respiratory illness like colds and flu in the general population by 16-21%, and reduces the number of people with diarrheal illnesses by 23-40%.

And to be sure, how we wash our hands is incredibly important. A quick rinse without scrubbing won't do the trick. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proper technique for handwashing is to wet your hands, apply soap, and then run your soapy hands under the stream while rotating, rubbing, and scrubbing every inch of your hands for at least 20 seconds. Usually you can hit that mark by singing "Happy Birthday" twice. Then, rinse. When you're done, dry your hands with a clean towel. Check out this demonstration from the CDC:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The moral of the story is, please, please remember to always wash your hands. It really makes a difference.

This article originally appeared six years ago. It has been updated.

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