Each year you should look around your home and take action to update, repair and replace old items. This list will help keep your home in working order, keep your family healthy and save you money along the way this coming year.

    1. Kitchen Sponge: Replace your kitchen sponge once a month.  Wet sponges over time can collect bacteria and the dirtier it gets, the more it can spread those nasty germs around to all the surfaces in your kitchen. TIP: Sanitize the sponge once a week in the dishwasher.
    2. Water Filters: Replace your water filter in your refrigerator, water pitchers and under your sink, if you have a filtration system.  
    3. Toothbrush: If you cannot remember the last time you replaced your toothbrush, the New Year is a good time to throw-out the old and replace with a new one.  You should replace toothbrushes every 3 months and after you have been sick.
    4. Faucet Aerators: Did you forget about the aerator in your faucets? Aerators should be replaced once a year.  Old faucet aerators become clogged with mineral build up and debris over time.  Install a water-efficient aerator.  As most aerators are under $5.00 each, this can be one of the most cost-effective water-saving measures your can do for you household and budget.  Bathroom and kitchen sink faucets account for 19% of the water used in an average home.  Now with this simple change, you can start saving all year long.
    5. Soap Dispenser: Tired of refilling the soap on your counter?  Add a soap dispenser that discreetly refills from a gallon refill container hidden under your kitchen sink.
    6. Shower Drains:  Prevent clogged drains this year by replacing your Tub/Shower drain cover with a drain catcher such as the Shower Hair Catcher. This simple snap drain cover with a hidden basket will catch hair and debris and prevent clogged drains.  You can simply replace the baskets every 3 months and keep your shower drains free of clogs.
    7. Toilet Bowl Brush & Plunger: You don’t think about this much, but, even if you clean and sanitize regularly, these can harbor germs.  It is time to replace these items and reduce the spread of germs.
    8. Dual-Flush Toilet Kits: It is cold outside and a great time to spend your time inside your home making it more efficient by converting your standard toilet into a water-saving dual-flush toilet.  Toilets use approximately 30% of an average household’s water consumption.  Replacing the internal parts of your toilet with a Dual-Flush Toilet Repair Kit will keep your toilet operating more efficiently and you will begin to save water all year long.
    9. Toilets: Inspect all of your toilets in your household and if any part of the exterior is cracked or broken or it does not sit flush to the floor and continues to rock back and forth, it is time to install a new toilet.  Start with purchasing a water-efficient toilet and then install it the right way with the Perfect Seal Toilet Wax Ring and Zero Cut Bolts. This will make installation much faster, easier and a one person job.
    10. Appliance Hoses: Check your appliance hoses as these should be replace every 5 years. Prevent your home from possible floods with replacing your standard washing machine supply line hose with the Flood Armour Washing Machine Hose. This innovative connector hose protects your home against flooding with the inclusion of a Leak Indicator and an automatic shut-off valve that stops the flow of water.

Beginning with these ten simple household replacements and improvements is a great start to the New Year in giving you a peace of mind that your home is operating more efficiently and you are on your way to saving water and money this coming year.