Areas At Home That You're Forgetting to Clean
Whether or not you have a regular cleaning schedule, and you feel that you hit every cranny and dirt, there are still hidden areas or secret places in your home that are being overlooked.
Kitchen and bathrooms are always the main priorities since these are the 2 most busy areas however, there are also places and objects at home that you probably neglecting not only in these areas but to the entire home.
Maid Share will share you some of the places and objects that you can still find dirty though you are cleaning on a regular basis.
Cleaning materials that you’ll need;
Soap or any detergent you preferred
Bleach (optional)
Microfiber cloth
All purpose cleaner (optional)
Brush, or toothbrush
Common Areas
Light switches, door knobs and handles - Of all the touch point areas, these are the most dangerous part in getting the virus. When we are going outside and touched a lot of things unsurprisingly, your hands are full of bacteria. In order to at least 70% percent, keep these touch point disinfected with a disinfectant wipes or spray with an all purpose cleaner and wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
House plants - Since most of us want green decoration at home, specifically live or artificial plants, these things are also needing an attention to be cleaned at least every other week. Watering the plants are very important but for cleaning them, we can simply dust the leaves using a wet-cloth with water, wipe down the base or pot to make it clean.
Litter boxes and Pet bowls - Given the fact that we regularly cleaning it out and place a new litter, we also need to give the litter box a general clean. After removing the litter, rinse it with water and soak it to a soapy water, leave it for at least 3-4 minutes, if there are sticky residue you can use an old toothbrush to remove it then rinse it again. Let it air dry before placing a new litter for your lovable cats. Same with the pet bowls, in order to look it refreshing each and every meal, give your cat/dog a pleasure with a clean bowls.
Door frames - This is a high spot where not everyone could clean it regularly. It needs a ladder or have someone who can reach its peak area. Use a feather duster or soft cloth to wipe the top, sides and entire surface of door frames to remove unwanted dust or dirt.
Curtains - While your window sills and tracks are clean, might as well change and wash your curtains to give the windows a total make over. Check if the kind of curtain you have can be easily loaded in the washing machine then do it whenever you change curtains. Dust, dirt and mold are hiding in this spot that needs special attention, it can also give you an allergy whenever you smell it.
Under appliances - These are the areas that you can’t avoid. Under the stove and oven and behind refrigerator are the most part you can’t avoid forever. It needs a lot of work when it weren’t prioritize for at least once a month. Under appliances collect lots of dust, dirt and food residue. All you need to do is to pull your refrigerator out, clean the coils with a coil cleaning brush and vacuum, then wipe down the walls, floor and all sides of the refrigerator with a damp rag and soap. Repeat this process for under your stove, oven, and any other appliances.
Bathroom Area
Ceiling Vent - You will notice that the vent needs cleaning when it becomes very noisy. In order to clean it, remove the cover and soak it in a sink filled with water, soap for at least 2 minutes and rub it gently with a sponge or microfiber cloth. And then out the cover back in. You can also use a vacuum to get the dust and cob webs followed by a wet cloth to wipe it down.
Toothbrush holder - This is just a small cup or jar that is usually overlooked not realizing it has a lot of germs around it. It also absorbs the moist or fallen dust from above that you need to be aware of. So do your mouth a favor and clean the holder twice a week before it even starts to look unpleasant. You can simply wash the cup with detergent, rinse it well then dry with a clean cloth.
Toilet handle - Though it was not obviously dirty, this area needs to be disinfected or sanitize every day especially this time of pandemic. We didn’t know where we touch our hands, so complete sanitation will prevent you from getting the virus. Just spray with your chosen cleaner and wipe it down. Disinfectant wipes can be used, too.
Shower curtains - Some are using cloth shower curtains and this should be washed at least every other week, still depends on the it’s state. You can throw them in the washing machine and run cycle with 1/2 cup of detergent/bleach and warm water to remove mold and mildew. If it’s a vinyl or transparent type, it can be cleaned once a month with a brush and gently scrub until the stains are removed.
Bedroom Area
Pillows - When was the last time you washed your pillows? We keep up with pillowcases most of the time but what about the pillow itself. It holds dust and mites than can affect our soft and smooth skins. Go ahead and remove the case or cover, fill the washing machine a very hot water to kill hidden mites without the need of a bleach. Put your preferred detergent then add the pillow. Rinse it very well and put in the dryer or have it air-dry or hang it outside.
Stuffed toys - Our kids really love to cuddle their favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal when sleeping. This could also build up dust and mites so make sure to set a routine when you should throw them in the washing machine or hand wash it instead. Your cleaning schedule always depends on the situation of the stuffed toy.
Under the bed - We know for a fact that this is really heavy and need a lot of work, but if you at least do it twice a month, it wouldn’t build up dust too bad. You can grab a vacuum and clean it from under and behind. If it is an extra work and still have dirt, follow it up with a mop or swifter to thoroughly clean it.
Lampshade - We normally have a small lampshade beside our bed, in front of the beauty closet and mirror or in the table. It is important to give them a good wipe down for better light at night.
Kitchen Area
Under the sink - This is where we put our extra paint cans, plastic bottles or jars, cleaning materials/products and so on but, we always forget to clean this area, too. Since we are using it to reserve what we have left from different occasions, give it a good wipe down. Remove all of the items, (throw the items that are no longer needed or can’t be used anymore to get more space) Spray an all purpose cleaner or any preferred cleaning power and wipe it with a microfiber cloth.
Potholders - We’re using it to hold hot pans, trays etc and tend to leave food stains on it. If you don’t wash them regularly might as well your food isn’t safe. Give them at least once a week cleaning but be careful when washing them since it runs off color. We recommend to hand wash it instead, hand it and let it dry under the sun.
Garbage cans - This holds dirty plastics, cups, left over food etc. Then why we kept forgetting to clean this object? The more it stays dirty, the more germs and bacteria will be living here. So prepare a detergent and sponge (make sure the sponge will only be used for washing garbage cans only, don’t reuse them on other objects) and wash them thoroughly.
Dishwasher - You may think that this machine is always clean since it does cleaning of all your dishes. But you didn’t know, all of the dirt or debris that was taken out of the dishes are hiding to its corners sometimes. That is why, it’s also important to give the machine a well clean with taking a cloth and spray and wiping down its side areas is super easy and will also help reduce musty, old food smells that may emit from your dishwasher.
Knife block/holder - We’re very sure that right after you use the knife, you put it back in the block or holder right away without wiping or drying it. Moisture is a secret friend of molds and mildew, and these dirty stuck mold is hard to remove. All you need is a soapy hot water, if you can out a bleach or a white vinegar in the water that will do, too. Soak it to the solution and let it be there for 3-5 minutes. Get a small brush and scrub each edges to remove grimes.
Cleaning supplies - It’s hard to imagine your cleaning supplies need cleaning, but neglecting your cleaning supplies can result in germs spreading throughout your home. Scrub your toilet brushes, brooms and sponges. Shake out your dusters and run your cleaning cloths through the wash weekly.
These are just some of the spots that we’ve mostly seen in the homes we are cleaning, but every home is different and may have other places that haven’t been cleaned. So, have a day off and check every thing you have at home and create a checklist in order to keep up with the places you are forgetting to clean.
If you think that a professional cleaning is needed, Maid Share is always here to help you in maintaining the cleanliness of your home. Thank you for reading!
Need to clean your bathroom properly? This article may help you - How to clean a bathroom