Does your medicine cabinet need a health check?
When you first moved into your home, your medicine cabinet was probably the picture of good health: clean, organised, uncluttered. Fast forward a few years, and things have changed. Without proper maintenance, your medicine cabinet could be in need of serious doctoring.
Take a quick look inside your medicine cabinet. Is it difficult to find what you need? Do you have to shuffle things around to find bandages, nail clippers, and dental floss, only to knock over things in the process? Is your cabinet cluttered with articles that don't belong there? Are there outdated items, such as prescriptions or nail polish, which should be thrown away? If you answered "Yes" to any (or all) of these questions, your medicine cabinet has fallen ill.
But there's no need to panic! With this easy four-step plan and a little TLC, this article can help you get your cabinet back in shape. Afterward, you can relax and feel better about yourself, knowing your bathroom is cleaner and more organised.
1. Diagnose the problem: Prep for surgery.
The most common cause of an ailing medicine cabinet is overstuffing. While at one time, it had all the basic necessities - dental floss, aspirin, nail clippers, etc. - it is now a veritable dumping ground for any small items that find their way into the bathroom. Your nail clippers are now under a pile of hair accessories and hotel soaps, and there's a good chance you have outdated prescriptions in there that are no longer usable. Take everything out and separate items into piles - one for items that should be in the cabinet, one for things that should be housed elsewhere, and another for outdated or unused items you can toss out.
2. Conduct surgery: Clean and disinfect.
Your work is only as good as the tools you use, so why should it be any different when cleaning your medicine cabinet?
Arm yourself with cleaning cloths, and rubber gloves, and get to work.
If possible, remove the shelves before cleaning. Give each shelf and wall surface a quick wipe with a cloth to eliminate obvious dirt (and hair, crumbs, dried makeup, etc.). Then, use a Handy Andy cream to remove ground-in dirt.
Now it's time to clean the exterior. If you have mirrored cabinets, use a glass cleaner to achieve an instant, long-lasting, spot-free shine. Don't forget the top and sides; dust has a habit of collecting in places you don't think to look. When everything is sparkling, put the shelves back in, and get ready to reorganize.
3. Post-op: Reorganize the space.
Now that major surgery is complete, your cabinet is ready to be put back together. But first, you'll want to arrange all your supplies in a logical way.
If it's a his-and-hers cabinet, divide your individual items in one of two ways: Use one side for his and one side for hers, or separate your individual items by shelf.
Put similar items together (e.g., nail clippers with nail polish and nail polish remover, or shaving cream next to a spare razor blade and shaver).
Only put items in the cabinet that you use on a daily or weekly basis. For example, don't store all your spare razor blades or extra soaps in there if you can put them somewhere else.
4. Regular checkups: Keep it clean.
Now it's time to enjoy your clean, organized medicine cabinet. But don't wait another year to check your cabinet's health! Like every part of your household, it's important to tidy the medicine cabinet regularly. Wipe the exterior and top surfaces every week or so to keep dirt from building up. Then, tackle the inside every month or two, as part of your periodic cleaning schedule.
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