Household Items You Shouldn't Forget to Clean

Unfortunately, germs can be found everywhere around the house — from your bed pillows to the washer and dryer. But, thanks to our friends at All You, we have some tips for how to clean these often overlooked items.

Wash them: Most pillows can be machine-washed and –dried; check the label. Set the washer on the gentle cycle, and wash in hot water using a mild liquid detergent (powder and leave residue). Wash two regular-size pillows together to balance the load (king-size ones should go one at a time). Run pillows through the rinse cycle twice.

Dry them: Place pillows in the dryer along with two clean tennis balls, and set on low heat. Polyester- or cotton-filled pillows take one to two hours to dry; down requires two to three hours, sometimes longer. To prevent overheating, remove the pillow regularly, fluff and return.

Check for dryness: It's imperative to dry down pillows completely to prevent mold and mildew from growing. After two hours, remove them from the dryers, let cool, then squeeze several spots on the pillows between two fingers. If there is any moistness or clumps, return them to the dryer.

Clean: Every three to six months.

Wipe out bacteria: Hot water (between 140ºF and 150°F) and bleach is the only way to kill germs. Washing a load of whites in hot water and chlorine bleach sanitizes the machine.

Take extra precaution: Once a month, run an empty load with hot water and bleach to sanitize the basin and wipe out any lingering germs.

Clean: With each load of whites.

Disinfect it: Pour vinegar into a dishwasher-safe cup, then place the cup upright on an empty dishwasher's top rack. Run a full cycle, using the hot-water setting. Next, deodorize the machine by sprinkling a cup of baking soda on the bottom of the tub and running the dishwasher on a half-cycle with hot water. Leave your dishwasher door open for a few hours after to air it out.

When you see mold and mildew: Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of bleach into the bottom of the dishwasher and run a full cycle. For stainless-steel interiors, use vinegar and baking soda.

Clean: Once a month.

Read the full article on All You to see all of the cleaning tips and tricks!

Check out more great tips from All You: