Cleaning for a healthy home

After every meal

• Put away all food in tightly covered containers.
• Rinse dishes after use and stack in dish pan or dish washer.
• Wash or soak utensils used for cooking.
• Wipe up any spills on the floor.

Daily

• Wash the dishes, sink and counters.
• Sweep the floor.
• Clean the stove top. Cleaning after every use can help to prevent baked-on dirt.
• Pick up any trash and empty the trash can.

Weekly

• Mop the floor.
• Disinfect counters and cutting boards using a bleach water solution.

Every other month

• Clean the range hood filters.
• Clean the oven and microwave.
• Clean the refrigerator and defrost if required.

After use

• Run exhaust fans after showers or baths for at least 20 minutes.
• Rinse the sink and tub after use.
• Wipe up spills on the floor.

Weekly

• Wipe down the sink and tub area with an all-purpose cleaner.
• Clean the toilet bowl.
• Wipe the toilet seat and outside of the toilet bowl with an all-purpose cleaner.
• Wash the floor with all-purpose cleaner.
• Clean the tub with a low abrasion cleaner.

Every other month

• Check for mold and clean if needed. Scrub mold with a concentrated bleach-water solution.

Always

• Use door mats near all outside doors.

Immediately

• Pick up food and any other spills.

Weekly

• Vacuum carpeting weekly or more if needed, especially in high traffic areas.
• Mop any hard-surfaced floors.

Why worry?

It's important to prevent and get rid of roaches because they:

• Contaminate or damage food.
• Damage wiring.
• Contribute to allergies.

Start with prevention

Here are some simple things you can do to prevent roaches in your home.

• Keep roaches away from items you will move to your new home.
• Keep roaches away from food sources by doing the following.
• Keep food in tightly covered containers.
• Clean dirty dishes at least daily. Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight.
• Take garbage out daily.
• Fix leaky faucets and pipes.

Getting rid of roaches

To get rid of roaches:

• Use roach traps to determine where roaches are living.
• Apply insecticides near where roaches are living.
• Apply insecticide with care to keep it away from pets, children, dishes and food.