You might think your home is pretty clean, after all, you dust it once a week from top to bottom, vacuum high foot-traffic areas, and wipe down surfaces in the kitchen every day. But, there are some items and areas of the average home that don’t get the cleaning attention they deserve, and all too often, are neglected entirely when cleaning is carried out.
If you’ve hired a cleaning service however, they will likely take care of the cleaning of all of these things so that you can be forgiven for not even giving them a second thought. But if you don’t have a cleaner, you should definitely address the cleaning of the following 7 places from time to time:
- The trash can
Even with a bag inside the can, it’s not uncommon for bits of food and dirt to get stuck on the lid or around the edges, and over time, this can make the can look and smell disgusting. To keep it hygienically clean (not that you want to eat your dinner off it, but still), you can either wipe it down with your favorite cleaning solution (ideally a disinfectant, and white vinegar works wonderfully well), or swill it out with white vinegar in the sink, depending on its size.
- The couch
We’ve all eaten a snack on the couch and left crumbs that we later swept onto the floor, or left to accumulate in the cracks and folds of the upholstery. While kids are the biggest culprits for this typically, adults and even pets are all responsible for dropping food debris on the couch that doesn’t always get cleaned up. Vacuuming your couch weekly is a great idea, and for stains and nasty smells that you just can’t get rid of, try hiring a professional furniture cleaning company.
- The kitchen sink
Used a lot, and often for some pretty dirty things, while we spend a lot of time and energy washing and cleaning things in the sink, we often forget to clean the sink itself. Simply wipe it down with a damp cloth and dish soap a couple of times a week (ideally once a day), and always check the drain for blockages or an accumulation of food and other gunk.
- Doorknobs, handles and switches
Really, all handles and knobs that are touched frequently – and often by multiple pairs of hands – should be disinfected at least a couple of times a week, and more often if someone in the household is sick and may be harboring contagious germs.
- Shower and curtain
As with the sink, showers are used every day, and while they help to keep us clean, we often forget to pay attention to the cleanliness of the shower itself. And if your shower has a curtain, this will almost certainly be grubby, slimy and possibly even moldy if it has never been cleaned. Throw the curtain in the machine, or soak it in the tub with a mild detergent (or white vinegar), remove the shower head and soak it overnight in a bag filled with white vinegar, scrub dirty grouting with an old toothbrush, and for glass doors, use vinegar and a squeegee to clean it and make it sparkle again.
- Baseboards
Dirt and dust is often found clinging onto the baseboards of your home, and while you might not notice it unless you bend down and really look, they should still be cleaned every few months or so. You can use a soft brushed attachment on your vacuum cleaner to eliminate dust and dirt, and for scuffs and stains, use a damp sponge and dish soap or a magic eraser.
- Remote controls
These are veritable germ magnets since they’re typically touched so often, but cleaning them is pretty simple. Take a q-tip soaked in vinegar or soapy water and run it between all of the buttons – never soak it in water!
If you’re struggling to clean your home let alone tending to all of these extra spots that might be dirty, you should think about hiring a cleaning service and relieving yourself of some of the burden.
