Living alone as an older adult can be rewarding. But it also requires taking extra steps to ensure your home is safe and able to adapt to any changing mobility and health needs. From gentle cleaning methods to pest prevention, the following tips are ways seniors living alone can keep their homes safe and clean.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals When Cleaning
Many commonly used cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin, eyes, and lungs. For seniors especially, this added health risk should definitely be avoided when safer alternatives are readily available. Instead of chemical-laden options, consider the following alternatives:
- Simple mixtures of vinegar and water, excellent for cleaning countertops and floors
- Baking soda to scrub sinks and tubs
- Lemon juice, a natural disinfectant that leaves your bathroom and kitchen surfaces smelling fresh
Using microfiber cloths with just water can also lift dirt and grime effectively without any added chemicals. These alternatives are safer for you and the environment, making cleaning less of a chore and more of a safe habit.
Control Clutter To Prevent Pests and Accidents
Another way seniors living alone can keep their homes safe and clean is to remove clutter. Decluttering a home creates a more organized and hazard-free environment.
Regularly removing unnecessary items from walkways, countertops, and storage areas reduces the risk of trip-and-fall accidents while improving accessibility. Plus, doing so makes your space easier to clean and maintain, helping to eliminate dust, mold, and allergens that can accumulate in overcrowded areas.
Consider that clutter also invites pests. Remove clutter and deter pests in the kitchen by keeping your pantry organized with airtight containers and promptly clean up food crumbs or spills.
Further Pest-Proofing Your Home
Regarding pests, it’s not only clutter and residual foodstuff that attracts them. Your roof can be the ideal shelter for them, as it provides warmth and protection from predators. This can come at the expense of your home’s structure and cleanliness.
Pests may chew through shingles, leave droppings that weaken materials, or nest in your attic, leading to further complications. How can you keep pests from damaging your roof and home? Consider having overhanging branches near your roof trimmed so they can’t serve as easy access points and having gutters cleaned to remove debris that pests may use to build nests.
Keep Outdoor Areas Tidy
Overgrown yards can also attract pests and create tripping hazards. If you’re able, regularly mow grass, trim shrubs, and remove leaf piles, or have a family member or professional take care of this for you.
Tidying outdoor spaces this way creates a welcoming home environment while reducing risks for you and your visitors. Another way you can reduce risks is to illuminate clutter-free outdoor pathways with solar lights, so you can move around safely if you’re outside after the sun sets.
Keeping your home and yard safe and clean doesn’t have to be a complicated venture. With these intentional, effective strategies, you can maintain a space in which to age comfortably that supports your independence.
