UpdatedJan 13, 2023 4:14 PM EST
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Millennials will fight for the planet, prioritize therapy, and drive across town for a photogenic taco truck. But ask them to caulk a tub or reset a fuse and things get quiet. A survey from Puronics polled 1,000 people ages 25 to 40 about home maintenance know-how and found that 52 percent have no idea how to fix a garbage disposal, and 60 percent would rather call someone than touch a leaky faucet.
It isn't just repairs—cleaning is also a Millennial blind spot. Apparently even tasks that don't require a single screwdriver get ignored. The good news? It's never too late to pretend you're a grown-up. Here are the three most overlooked cleaning jobs, plus how to tackle them before your appliances stage a protest.
Your dishwasher feels like a magic cabinet—dirty plates go in, sparkly ones come out. But that trick depends on a filter, the little cylindrical hero inside that catches food bits before they redecorate your cups or clog the drain. A whopping 43 percent of millennials admit they never clean it, even though it really needs a rinse once a month. Just pull it out, soak it in warm soapy water, scrub off the gunk, rinse, and pop it back in. It takes five minutes and saves you from a future flood of regret.
The other task Millennials love to avoid? The inside of the oven. Nineteen percent say they've never cleaned it, and 27 percent only face it twice a year. Cleaning pro Becky Rapinchuk suggests a fume-free paste: mix 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 tablespoon dish soap, and 1 cup hot water until it's spreadable. Slather it inside the oven, let it sit for 15 minutes, then wipe it clean with a rinsed sponge until no baking soda remains. Your oven will look less like a crime scene and more like an appliance.
A surprising 36 percent of respondents never clean their showerhead, and one in four only get to it every six months. But there's a solid reason to bother: water pressure. Mineral buildup and soap scum can clog the nozzles, notes Molly Maid. Fill a plastic bag with apple cider vinegar, rubber-band it over the showerhead so the holes are submerged, and let it soak for 12 hours. Then use a toothpick or old toothbrush to poke out any leftover gunk. Your morning shower will feel like a spa instead of a sad drizzle.
The survey also found that Millennials are oddly under-equipped in the tool department. About 89 percent own the basics—screwdriver, hammer, measuring tape, wrench—but more than half don't have a stud finder, and levels, ladders, and toolboxes are frequently MIA. No matter your age, below are a few good-looking essentials to round out your collection.
Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.
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