We all know that cleaning takes a lot of time and energy in your day. It’s hard to keep a house looking it’s best. Much less managing it along with everything else in your busy life. Unfortunately, that means that there are some common spots that get overlooked in your cleaning rush. These important overlooked areas need attention. Cleaning them makes a huge difference in the health of your home.
These Important Overlooked Areas Need Your Attention:
By paying attention to these overlooked areas you’ll maintain a cleaner and healthier home. We’ll highlight how to clean each, and how often they need cleaning.
Door Knobs and Handles:
It makes perfect sense that these high-use pieces of architecture need to be cleaned on a regular basis. But, despite getting a ton of traffic through the day, doorknobs and handles are some of the most commonly overlooked areas.
Anytime you clean a room you should make a point of cleaning the doorknobs and handles as well.
Soap and warm water should be plenty. But if it’s been a while since you cleaned your doorknob you may also want to use dish soap or vinegar. Either will cut through the oily layer.
Want to learn more? This article may focus on office germs, but it’s just as applicable to the doorknobs in your home.
Dishwasher:
Another important but often overlooked area is your home dishwasher. It may keep your dishes clean, but it needs some maintenance too.
For a quick rinse, run your dishwasher on the hottest setting. Before you run it, sprinkle a cup of baking soda across the wash racks and the bottom of the appliance.
A cup of vinegar is another option. Just don’t use the vinegar and baking soda together.
Once a week, you should check the dishwasher drain. Pull out the bottom rack of the dishwasher. Clear any food debris stuck by the drain in the bottom.
About once a month, you should also check the dishwasher filter. While you’re cleaning the drain, look for a cylinder that twists into place. That’s the filter. Most of the time you’ll just need to pull it out and give it a thorough rinse. But, when it stops rinsing clean, it’s time to replace.
While you’re at it, this guide will help you clean your kitchen sink too!
Curtains and Blinds:
One of the secrets of this overlooked area is curtains look clean long after they aren’t. Dust, spiderwebs, and other household dirt all make their way into your curtains.
More long term-stains are also common. Especially in homes with children or pets.
Keeping your curtains clean is as simple as vacuuming them down when you vacuum the room. Blinds should be wiped down with warm soap and water whenever you clean the room.
Your curtains should also get a more thorough clean every couple of months. Check the tag to see if you can run them through your washing machine. Otherwise, you may need to send them off to a professional cleaner.
Trash Cans:
This last one is an overlooked area for a reason. No one wants to look at trash. More and more scented trash bags and other products disguise dirt and bacteria, but they don’t take care of the problem.
Even the best trash bags won’t prevent your trash cans from developing a little grime. Scented bags can make the problem worse since you’re more likely to wait to clean your bins.
Remember that any time you touch your trash can you pick up a little of that bacteria. It can easily spread from your trash can all over your home. Two of the worse rooms are your kitchen and bathrooms.
To avoid spreading that bacteria we recommend cleaning your trash cans once a month. Dish soap is a good option since it won’t degrade the materials. Use hot water and let the water and soap sit for 10 minutes.
Dump the soapy water, and refill with more soap and water. Use a rag to scrub the trash can, inside and out. If you can, let the trash can dry outside in the sun. Sunlight will help sanitize the whole trash can.
Want Some Assistance?
Sound like a lot to fit into your already busy schedule? That’s what we’re here for. We’ll make sure your home gets the top to bottom clean it needs, no overlooked areas. Contact us for a quote, today.
Looking for more cleaning tips? Our easy closet organizing guide will help you get and maintain a spotless home.