Places Seniors Forget To Clean

Your senior loved one may want to age in place, but as they do there are certain challenges that also happen. Even keeping their home clean can be a challenge and there are specific areas that a senior may neglect or they may not even realize it’s dirty. As someone who is caring for an elderly loved one, you may need to help them keep areas clean and germ free. But what are common areas which are missed by seniors who age in place? Here are some places you or home care can clean to help keep things sanitary.

Walls and Baseboards

Most people don’t know that you should be wiping down walls and baseboards. They can hold a lot of dust and dander that collect over time. This is not something you need to do for your seniors very often and even home care can help wipe down the walls once a month or even once every two months. You can wipe down walls with a plain wipe and if home care is willing to go an extra step they may be able to use a wet cloth with some dawn which will help clean the walls, keep things sanitized, and help keep the dust to a minimum.

Shelves

If your senior has a lot of shelving, you not only need to wipe the outside of the shelves you need to but dusting what is on the shelved, moving the items, and wiping underneath them. This will help keep allergies to a minimum. Many seniors don’t have the patience to do this task anymore or it may be hard for them to move heavy things off of the shelf. This is a task that can take a lot of time and lifting and it’s something you or home care will have to help with. A senior may not mean to neglect this task but it happens regularly.

Behind the Toilet

Many seniors will take the time to clean the toilet, and that’s wonderful. However, dust and dander and other things can collect behind the toilet. It may be too challenging to get on your hands and knees as a senior so they may neglect the toilet unintentionally. If home care can’t help with this task and neither can you, it’s time to look into a professional house cleaner. These professionals may come once a month to help with a deep clean. Taking the time to clean these things once a month can help reduce the spread of germs.

Trash Cans

Believe it or not trash cans need to be cleaned. You should be emptying out the trash at least once a week and disinfecting it. This is an area people don’t know they should be cleaning, but it’s true because it’s a breeding ground for germs. It needs to be done at least once a week to help keep things sanitized and it will help a seniors home smell a lot fresher!

Shower Curtains

Another thing many people do not know they should be cleaning is shower curtains! Even if you clean the shower, the curtain still needs to be wiped down, if it is cloth it needs to be washed. It may be surprising but due to all the dirt and moisture it is another area where germs can easily grow and spread.