When we clean our houses, we often target the more obvious areas such as the floors, countertops, windows, and furniture. However, there are less obvious places that we tend to forget about. You may be thinking that you can barely keep up with the visible dirt…now I have to search for dirt? Unfortunately, yes you do. But don’t worry, I’m here to help!
I’ll walk you through the most overlooked places in your living space that you tend to miss when cleaning. Add these places into your cleaning routine, and you’ll soon have a Squeeky clean home for sure!
1. Bathroom vanity light fixtures and bulbs
We usually clean our bathroom mirror and sink regularly, as dirt and grime tends to be visible on these surfaces. However, bathroom vanity light fixtures and bulbs are often overlooked. They can attract dust and dirt, so it’s important to clean them regularly as well.
Windex or a water and vinegar solution works fine here. It’s best to clean them with the lights switched off. Cleaning any electrical item with water while it’s switched on can be hazardous.
2. Curtains and curtain railings
Curtains, especially dark-colored ones, may look perfectly fine from afar. A closer inspection, however, may reveal dust and dirt clinging onto the fabric. Imagine cleaning your living room, just to pull open the curtains and have all that dust fly all over the place!
Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to remove any dust from your curtains once every two weeks or so. You can also use a damp cloth to give the curtains a thorough wipe down.
Once every season, you should take down your curtains and give them a wash. Run them through the delicate cycle on your washer, if the fabric permits. Wipe your curtain railings with a damp cloth before hanging the clean curtains back up.
3. Closet floors
It’s hard to see dust on the closet floors when shoes are always covering it, but trust me, it’s there. This is the room you sleep in, and you don’t want to be inhaling all that dust, especially if you have allergies! So, it’s imperative that your closet floors gets cleaned once a month.
Remove all the shoes and boxes covering the closet floor. Next, vacuum the floor before going in with a microfiber mop. Don’t forget to wipe the baseboards as well.
4. Shower products
I notice that a lot of people clean their showers, but they neglect to clean and wipe off their shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles. These bottles often get wet in the shower and trap moisture underneath. As a result, they tend to accumulate mold and bacteria that can make you sick.
Consider cleaning these products every time you clean your shower or tub. If they seem a little grimy, clean them with a cloth and cleaning solution, before drying them off with a dry cloth or kitchen towel.
Do this, and you’ll notice a difference in the overall cleanliness of your shower right away.
5. The Ceiling
Like they say, out of sight, out of mind. Our ceilings are not in our eyeline, so we often forget to clean them. However, they begin to accumulate dirt and cobwebs over time. So be sure to look up once in a while to spot those unsightly cobwebs and get rid of them!
You can easily clean the cobwebs that form in the upper corners of your rooms using a cobweb duster. Any other dirt can be cleaned with a duster or mop with an extendable handle.
6. Trash cans
Many of us throw out the trash and call it a day. However, our trash cans are home to bad odors, food particles, and bacteria. It’s important to wipe down and sanitize our trash cans regularly.
Wash your trash cans with running water to get rid of any gunk or spills at the bottom before wiping down with a disinfectant.
There you have it, the 10 most overlooked (and dirty) spots in the home! So next time you reach for those cleaning supplies, don’t forget to clean these places as well.
7. Patio furniture
This is something that is likely used all spring and summer, but we rarely think about cleaning it. Patio furniture can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria as it’s exposed to moisture from all the rain.
Plus, if you enjoy having meals or drinks outside, your patio furniture may have stains here and there from food spills. This could attract all sorts of bugs and pests, and we definitely don’t want that!
If your chairs have removable fabric covers, run the covers through the wash. You could also power wash your furniture when you’re cleaning the patio. This is what I usually do, and it works great, especially for metal patio furniture. Usually twice a season does the trick.
And last but but certainly not least,
8. Your Mattress
We change our sheets regularly, but it’s also equally important to clean our mattress! Vacuum your mattress once a month to get rid of any dirt, dust, and dead skin that gets stuck on it. All this nasty stuff can trigger your allergies.
While vacuuming can get rid of visible dirt, spraying your mattress with an antibacterial spray helps to get rid of any invisible germs that might make you sick.
Also, many of us sweat when we sleep, especially in the hotter months. Your mattress absorbs this moisture, leading to mold and bacteria growth. So when you’re changing your sheets, pull open your curtains and let some sunlight in. Allow your mattress to dry nicely before putting on new sheets.
There you have it, the 10 most overlooked (and dirty) spots in the home! So next time you reach for those cleaning supplies, don’t forget to clean these places as well.
Don’t try to tackle this all at once. Things like cleaning your shower products and vacuuming your mattress can be done once a month, but doing your patio furniture and curtain railings only need to be done twice a year. As you become more aware of these areas, you will start to naturally incorporate them into your cleaning routine. You will be cleaning like a pro in no time! Than you should reward yourself with a cup of tea or coffee in bed!
Sending you Squeeky thoughts!
Michelle M
The Squeeky Clean Method 