Here's How Often You Need To Clean Your Clothes Hampers

There are many areas of our homes we forgot to clean. Many of those neglected items and areas are cleaning items themselves — sponges, vacuums, trash cans, and even your clothes hamper. While they are often overlooked, they are just as in need of cleaning as other items. Especially clothes hampers, which hold dirty clothes and accumulate lots of their own dirt, bacteria, and offensive smells from dirty laundry. According to 2ULaundry, laundry can host dangerous germs such as fecal matter, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus (which cause staph infections), and E. coli.

How often you should clean your clothes hamper largely depends on what kind of hamper you have, notes Urban Clothesline. Those with cloth hampers that hold onto bacteria more may want to clean more regularly, whereas more sterile materials like plastic don't need to be cleaned as often. The general consensus is that all clothes hampers should be cleaned on average once a week.

Whether you have a plastic, fabric, or wicker clothes hamper, it's not a bad idea to give it a wash during your laundry cycle. While this may seem difficult or high maintenance, it's quite easy. Plastic hampers, for example, can just be wiped down with a wet and soapy cloth. Every few weeks, give it a deeper clean using a disinfectant, explains 2ULaundry.

When it comes to fabric or fabric-lined hampers, Urban Clothesline recommends washing the liner/basket with every cycle of laundry, or at least once a week. This will leave it smelling fresh, as well as clear out any germs or bacteria. It also helps prevent wet or damp clothing from growing mold or mildew, which will inevitably grow onto the hamper as well.

Wicker is a little more difficult. You can line it with a fabric laundry bag to avoid the hassle altogether. However, you can clean wicker, too. Merry Maids says to use lightly soapy water on a slightly damp, not wet, microfiber towel to wipe it down, and then let it air dry.