Things to Replace Around Your Apartment ASAP! [9 Items]
Check out our list of nine items that need regular replacing around your apartment. Replacing these things will save you both cleaning time and money!
Tired of dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping?
Keeping a clean apartment isn’t always fun, but it is crucial. Even in a seemingly spotless space, there’s a good chance you have some dirty, worn-out items that need tossing and replacing.
From the kitchen to the bedroom to the bath, here are nine things to replace in your apartment ASAP.
1. Shower Curtain Liner
Shower curtain liners are only visible when you’re in the bath, so the next time you take a shower, take a hard look at yours.
Shower curtain liners are breeding grounds for mold and mildew build-up. If you see yellowing, discoloration, or tiny black specks, it’s time to replace it.
A new shower curtain liner only costs a few dollars, so we recommend buying two or three at a time so that you can hang a new one every few months. If you prefer to buy a more expensive one, make sure it’s machine washable so that you can at least clean it once a month.
2. Refrigerator Water Filter
Does your refrigerator have an ice maker or a water dispenser?
If so, it also has a water filter.
Water filters need replacing about every six months. Failing to replace yours frequently enough can result in unfiltered drinking water and stinky ice cubes.
As a renter, your landlord or property manager may provide you with new water filters regularly. If they don’t, look for the make and model number of your fridge and order yourself one online. (You can usually find the model number on the inside of the refrigerator wall or the freezer door).
3. Welcome Mat
Welcome mats aren’t just for welcoming guests — they’re also for wiping outside dirt off your shoes. And that means that they only get dirtier and dirtier over time.
It doesn’t matter if your welcome mat is outside in the elements or a hallway. If you wipe your shoes on it, it’s full of dirt.
4. Pillows
You may have freshly laundered sheets and an expensive down comforter on your bed; but if you’re sleeping on old pillows you’re sleeping on filth.
It’s not exactly a pleasant thought, but the fact is that your pillows might be full of dead bugs, dust mites, and their droppings. Sorry, but yes, you read that right. Your pillows may be full of feces.
Research shows that over two years, 1/3 the weight of your pillow becomes dust mites, dead skin cells, and other things you don’t want to rest your head on.
If the pillows on your bed are more than two years old — replace them immediately!
5. Toilet Brush
Frequently replace anything that you use to clean dirty surfaces, especially your toilet brush.
When you use a toilet brush to clean under the rim of your toilet, it collects bacteria. So using it over and over again only continues to spread that bacteria in your toilet bowl, even though you think it’s cleaning it.
Throw your toilet brush away immediately and buy a new one. Save yourself some money and buy the most inexpensive one you can find. That way, you won’t feel bad replacing it every few months.
Your toilet brush isn’t the only cleaning tool that needs to go. In fact, anything that you clean with needs refreshing routinely.
This includes:
- kitchen sponges
- mop heads
- scrubbing brushes
- cleaning rags
6. Scratched Skillets
Scratched skillets, pots, and frying pans don’t just look ugly; they can pose some serious health risks.
If you cook with pans with a nonstick coating, take a careful look at the entire interior surface of each pan. If scratches or marks are visible, it’s time to buy some new ones.
Cooking on a scratched pan can actually cause some of that nonstick coating to flake off into your food. The flaked coating releases toxic compounds that can be harmful to your health.
When you buy new pans, be sure to cook with the proper utensils, such as silicone or wooden tools, to reduce the possibility of creating new scratches.
7. Cooking Utensils and Spatulas
Cooking utensils, such as plastic spatulas and spoons, can suffer damage when used over high heat for an extended period of time. If the edges of your utensils look slightly melted or are starting to peel, it’s time to toss them.
Wooden spoons are an excellent alternative to plastic cooking utensils. Just be sure to wash and dry them immediately upon use, so they don’t warp, accumulate stains, or grow mold.
8. Kitchen Trash Can
You probably empty your kitchen trash can at least once a week. The next time you do, look inside when it’s empty, including under the lid.
Food splashes, spills, and crumbs often collect inside trash cans, on the interior walls as well as under the lid.
When you buy a new trash can, make it a point to clean it just like any other item in the house. Give it a thorough wipe down inside and out at least once a week or so.
9. Kitchen Cutting Board
Whether you use your cutting board to chop veggies, cut meats and proteins, or slice cheese, knife cuts can do damage to the surface of the board. Those knife cuts can then trap bacteria.
Run your fingers over the surface of your cutting board to see if you feel any nicks or slices. They can be subtle and sometimes not even visible, but they’re probably there.
The more you use your cutting board, the more likely you need to replace it with a new one.
Conclusion
Want your apartment to be as clean as it can possibly be?
Spend a few minutes ridding your home of all the nasty things that you never pay attention to.
Take some time this weekend to toss and replace your:
- Mildewed shower curtain liner
- Old refrigerator water filter
- Dirty welcome mat
- Buggy bed pillows
- Toilet brushes and sponges
- Scratched pots and pans
- Damaged utensils and spatulas
- Dirty kitchen trash can
- Sliced cutting board
With new versions of these items in your home, your place will be cleaner, healthier, and safer to live in!
Author bio
Caitlin Sinclair is the Property Manager at The Eleanor with five years of property management experience and many more in Customer Service. She shares her passion for her community and looks forward to making The Eleanor the place to call home.
