Spring Cleaning: 5 Spaces You May Have Forgotten By Kate Madonna Hindes, Director of Marketing, Ewald Consulting
T
he holiday season is behind us. Yet, there might be some holiday decorations, unwanted gifts or other items that are creating clutter in your house. This may be a good time to do some cleaning to freshen up and organize not only your home, but your yard as well. You might have a detailed spring cleaning list that you always stick by. However, there are a few spots that people forget to clean that may be beneficial to put on your spring cleaning list.
1. Laptop It’s easy to remember to clean the exterior of your laptop. However, many forget to clean the interior of their laptop such as files, documents, downloads, and more. Take the time to carefully delete old documents that are no longer in use. Spring is a great time to organize files and create better systems for saving and deleting!
3. Medicine cabinet Now is the perfect time to go through your medicine cabinet and dispose of empty medicine bottles. Check to see if any of your medications are expired. The safest way to dispose of old medicines is to follow the FDA guidelines below: Disposal in Household Trash If no medicine take-back programs or DEAauthorized collectors are available in your area, you can also follow these simple steps to dispose of most medicines in the household trash: 1. Mix medicines (do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, kitty litter, or used coffee grounds; 2. Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag;
2. Kitchen/Bathroom cabinets Ready to declutter your cleaning supplies? If you have products with chemicals, you can safely dispose of these bottles at your city’s hazardous waste site. For non-toxic cleaning options, many industry professionals swear by white vinegar. (www.frugalgranola.com) Here’s a great recipe for an all-purpose cleaner: Simple 3-in-1 Household Cleaner Spray bottle 1 cup white vinegar 2 cups water 1 Tbsp dish soap (optional) 30 drops essential oil Combine everything in a spray bottle. Make a pretty label or write on the bottle to remember what it is. Shake before using.
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Minnesota Communit y Living
3. Throw the container in your household trash; 4. Scratch out all personal information on the prescription label of your empty pill bottle or empty medicine packaging to make it unreadable, and then dispose of the container. (FDA.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ ucm101653.htm)
The next National Prescription Take Back Day is scheduled for April 30. Local law enforcment agencies are common collection points.