How many towels you have to have at home and nine other questions about cleaning and health

Twitter user Abdul has more than 100,000 followers, but he is known mainly for his role as an astronomical photographer. The images that he shares of the skies, which he collects on trips throughout the planet and which can be purchased for different prices, generate their corresponding likes and comments. But the photographer - like almost no user on Twitter - does not limit himself to talking about his work and last month he launched a question on the air that generated more responses than he could ever have imagined.

The question that had arisen for him and his girlfriend was not the right number of towels to have a house. "I have said that ten and she has looked at me as if I were crazy, we have no frame of reference on how many of these objects should be in a house inhabited by two people," he explained.

Apparently, the matter was not clear to the Twitterosphere either, because the question has so far generated more than 2,400 responses, which has led The Guardian newspaper to look for the number that is closest to the correct answer. Incidentally, the newspaper has wondered about other parameters related to cleaning - personal and household - for which there do not seem to be universal instructions.

The necessary towels

For the so-called Cleaning Queen of the Obsessive-Compulsive Cleaners program -which is successfully broadcast on Channel 4-, Lynsey Crombie, it is necessary to have five bath towels per person in each house and wash them every few days, but other experts believe that such a high number would not be necessary because they do not have to be washed more than every "three or four days." In any case, this is a figure that is far removed from what a survey carried out by the NGO Hubbub said, which said that people washed their towels on average every 11 days. This is what the cleaning experts say, but not what those who pay attention to the environment believe, who believe that you have to wash them every four days and not have more than two towels per person.

How often do you have to change the sheets?

On this point there seems to be more agreement, although there are those who according to the users are children or adults. Crombie has told all his viewers that he spends Sundays doing laundry, except if he has seen any bugs, in which case he washes them daily. But the expert comments that she has come to visit homes where the sheets were changed up to every two months. Another expert television cleaner in the country, Aggie MacKenzie, also recommends the weekly change, but reduces the figure to four days in the case of the little ones, who can have "accidents". For those who care about the environment, a weekly change is also suitable.

Can you wear your shoes inside the house?

In Spain it is not customary, but outside our borders not taking off your shoes when you get home is a clear sign of rudeness. It seems that cleaning experts beyond our borders are clear: beyond education, removing these accessories when you get home is the best thing to do for reasons of hygiene and health. Also, if a guest ignores and doesn't remove their shoes, the floor will need to be mopped as soon as they leave.

How often do you have to wash jeans?

Jeans are a very grateful garment, not only do they fit well, but it seems that dirt does not pass through them. This led the CEO of Levi's to declare in an interview that he did not wash his pants more than once a year, and the label of the jeans itself usually includes a warning not to wash them too often. While MacKenzie recommends washing them after wearing them "eight or 10 times", the Love your Clothes campaign recommends the so-called freezer wash: instead of putting them in the washing machine, put the jeans in the freezer for 24 hours, something that would end with the germs that can make the garment smell.

Is the toilet brush hygienic?

For many people, the toilet brush is the only way to clean the toilet, but as it turns out, it's quite a topic for cleaning experts. The Hygiene professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine defines these gadgets as authentic "germ spreaders" and that, if any type of brush is used, it must be made of silicone and without bristles. And that's not to mention the liquid that accumulates at the base of the brushes, which he defines as "foetid water riddled with bacteria."

What is the best way to clean a cleaning cloth?

It may be a universal belief, but it couldn't be more wrong. As much as cleaning cloths are used only for cleaning, that does not mean that they are clean at all, even if they do not stop being in contact with water and cleaning fluids. Experts recommend washing them once a day - environmental experts raise the figure to two - and do it in a washing machine at 60 degrees. When it comes to microfiber cloths, the cleaners consulted by The Guardian affirm that putting them in boiling water and a capful of bleach is enough, but, yes, do it daily.

How often should you vacuum?

Most cleaning experts agree on the answer to this question as well, although not all readers agree. Once a week seems to be ideal, although lint reappears on some floors just hours after the vacuum has been turned off.

How often should you vacuum under the bed?

It's one thing to vacuum the floor or carpets, but when we talk about doing it under the bed we are already using big words . First, because normally the beds are not easy to move and, even if they are, it is too lazy to do so. Even so, the experts have a verdict that the most lazy will like: between one and three months.

How often should a bathroom be deep cleaned?

While the concept of deep cleaning can vary depending on who you ask, there seems to be a consensus that at least once a week the bathroom has to be cleaned thoroughly, although the toilet much more frequently, once a day. It is recommended to use bleach and specific cleaning liquids for the bathroom.

Is it better to shower in the morning or at night?

And if we talk about cleanliness, how can you not wonder about how clean oneself is? And the great controversy that surrounds it: is it better to shower in the morning or at night? It seems that there is no agreement here and neither cleaning experts nor scientists who have studied the issue are clear about it. Of course, nobody recommends not going under the tap at least once a day.

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