What Happens When You Don’t Clean Your House?
Having a clean environment has many benefits. When everything is tidy and organized, you can focus and concentrate. You feel good and calm which, in turn, helps relieve stress and anxiety. A clean house not only makes you happy, but it also keeps you healthy!
Cleaning has always been a daily necessity around the household. However, when you are constantly struggling with the hustle and bustle of life, you find it difficult to keep your home clean every now and then. You find yourself putting off the cleaning for days, even for weeks and months. And now, you are faced with the heavy grease and tough grime that had inevitably accumulated over time.
The house is a mess and you know it! It’s time to give your house that premium home cleaning it deserves. You hurriedly put a pair of gloves on and take out your trusty cleaning supplies. On a side note, you can’t help but feel the burden of having to do the scrubbing and vacuuming again.
Imagine living a carefree life without having to worry about house cleaning. Wouldn’t it be great if the house never gets dirty? Wouldn’t it be even nicer if you can just stop cleaning? Before you start on that, let’s find out what happens when you don’t clean your house.
Here Are 12 Things That Could Happen When You Don’t Clean Your House:
1. Worsens allergies as the dust mites increases
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, dust mites (and their excrement) are common causative agent for year-round allergies and asthma symptoms. When your house is dirty, dust mites can proliferate and aggravate your allergies and other related respiratory disorders. Common dust mite allergy symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, cough, postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose, mouth, or throat, and itchy skin. You can reduce these allergic symptoms by keeping your house clean.
Dust mites feed off dead skin cells, which are most likely to accumulate on bedding, pillows, furniture, curtains, rugs, carpets, toys, and stuffed animals. These contaminated items should be washed in temperatures of at least 130°F or more to kill the dust mites. Keeping the humidity between 30 to 50% also helps. Frequent vacuuming, wet mopping, dusting, and washing can likewise stop the growth of dust mites.
2. Growth of molds in moist places
Mold is a type of fungus that thrives on moisture and reproduces through lightweight spores that travel through the air. The most common areas that are likely to attract mold and mildew are on the bathroom tiles and grout, in the laundry area, under the kitchen sink, along unsealed window sills, in the basement, and on any other damp places.
Scrub moldy surfaces with a mold cleaner, e.g. bleach, borax, vinegar, etc. Use a soft brush to clean and work on it until signs of the mold disappear.
3. Disgusting bedding and sheets
The Good Housekeeping Institute recommends washing your sheets and other beddings at least once in two weeks, or once a week as necessary if you have night sweats or just generally sweat a lot. Washing them diligently will keep the dust mites, dirt, hair, pet dander, oils, food crumbs, and other gross stuff away from your bed.
Laundry the beddings and sheets with soap and water at temperatures of 130°F (60°C) or above to kill off any bugs and dust mites.
4. Unwanted pests and bugs
When you neglect to take the trash out, the rotting garbage and food spoil attract flies and other creepy crawling bugs. These unwanted house guests might decide to stay, leading to bigger problems than just a stinky place. They may even spread germs and diseases around the house. Cleaning reduces the risk of contamination and avoids pest infestations.
Empty and sanitize the trash bins regularly. Set up proper waste management and do not forget to take the trash out.
5. Growth of microorganisms on foods
Old foods and leftovers that have been kept out for too long in the refrigerator or pantry can suddenly smell bad and look rotten. This is usually caused by microbial growth such as bacteria, yeast, or mold, making the food unsuitable and not edible for human consumption. Other causative factors may include storage temperature, humidity, oxygen, water content, and acidity. Food spoils are a waste of money, more than a little nasty, and not to mention, the stench that goes with it.
This can be remedied by setting up a weekly cleanout plan. Go through the fridge, freezer, and pantry and discard anything off or questionable. Be sure to always check the expiry dates of each food item.
6. Vermin and critters live in the clutter
Clutter takes up a lot of space and is certainly a nuisance - the stacks of books, mountains of clothing, piles of junk, and any kind of unsealed food that you stash and forget about. Unsightly as it may seem, clutter is desirable for small animals and critters because it provides shelter and even food depending on the kind of mess you’ve accumulated.
Removing clutter does not assure your house remains free from vermin and critters, but it’s a great first step. Having less clutter also makes cleaning easier than having a lot of stuff.
7. Poor indoor air quality
When you quit cleaning, the air ducts, air vents, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems can be clogged leading to poor indoor air circulation. These can be grounds for dust, debris, allergens, irritants, moisture, and mold to collect. These substances can circulate in the air, triggering allergies, asthma symptoms, and other respiratory issues in some people.
The Environmental Protection Agency suggests three ways to improve indoor air quality:
Source Control: control your exposure to indoor air pollutants
Improved Ventilation: ventilate indoor areas well and bring in fresh air
Air Cleaners: use air cleaners to filter and clean the indoor air
8. House turns smelly and stinky
Your house may start to smell if you stop cleaning. You may not usually notice your house’s unique odors especially when you are exposed to it over time. This temporary, naturally occurring adaptation of your body that leads to an inability to detect or distinguish common scents in surroundings where you spend a lot of time refers to nose blindness.
The unpleasant smells in your house may be coming from the food wastes, garbage disposal, trash can, dishwasher, wet clothing, shower drain, unwanted moisture, kids, pets, etc. Here are a few tips on how to prevent common odors in your home:
Clean the spills, dirty dishes, soiled clothing promptly
Vacuum the floors at least 1-2 times a week
Pick up the clutters that could collect dust and dirt
Unclogged and clean the filthy drains and sinks
Cover the trash bins with lids and throw the garbage out
Open the windows to flow in some fresh air
Change the HVAC filters at least every 3 months or as necessary
Brush away the mold and mildew in the kitchen and bathroom areas
Apply home deodorizer or baking soda to eliminate and absorb the stinky smell
9. House becomes harder to clean
The cleaning chore gets harder and harder the longer it is done. And when you finally find the time to clean, you would be so overwhelmed with the amount of work you needed to do. To evade such a daunting predicament, try following a cleaning schedule.
Instead of investing long hours in cleaning, just spend 15-20 minutes and a little bit of tidying every day. Keeping up with your cleaning tasks makes the whole process not so intimidating week after week. Learn the habit to clean promptly and the workload will be lighter. When you have less grime to scrub, the faster it will be taken care of. Moreover, you can devote more time to your family.
10. Getting sick and unhealthy
Routine cleaning and sanitizing the house helps you stay physically fit, spiritually healthy, emotionally stable, and mentally strong. On the other hand, living in an untidy and filthy house can make you sick.
Here are some reasons why not cleaning enough can make you unhealthy:
Polluted air vents and untidy filters can contaminate the air.
Soiled sheets and bedding can cause skin rashes and irritations.
Dust mites can trigger allergies, asthma, and other respiratory issues.
Bugs, pests, vermin, and critters are carriers of germs and many diseases.
Consuming expired food/ moldy products and having a dirty fridge can result in food poisoning caused by bacterial contaminants, such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella.
11. Affecting the mind and well-being
Research shows that a dirty and cluttered environment can significantly affect your well-being. The stress you feel impedes your mental ability to concentrate, lets you feel anxious and out of control, ensues helplessness and frustration, that eventually leads to anxiety. Messy homes make it difficult for you to relax and unwind, hence, bringing forth these negative emotions. Nevertheless, keeping a clean and neat home can help dispel these bad feelings. An orderly home can make you more productive as you can focus more and think clearly. Learn more about how cleaning can help with anxiety.
12. Messier home in having pets
There is a constant need to clean the house when you have pets around. Pets can bring in more mess, so you need to add a lot to your list come cleaning time. You need to consider that pet dander, pet furs, litter boxes, and accidents could ruin your home furniture and floors if you don’t clean up on time. Seek assistance from a professional dog trainer to discourage bad behaviors that often cause a mess in the house. A little discipline and a lot of patience can go a long way in achieving that clean and healthy pet-friendly home.
It's normal for everyone’s house to get messy from time to time. However, when you are living in a constant state of filth, this can affect your overall health and wellness. If you can relate to these 12 things that can happen when you don’t clean your house, then it might be the time you finally clean. Better yet, hire some professional house cleaners near you.
Sparkly Maid of Northshore offers vast cleaning services catering to your needs - regular cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/out cleaning, office cleaning, apartment cleaning, and many more. Do give us a call and find out how we can make your home sparkle!