Things In Your House You Probably Forget To Clean
Everyone has a checklist of household chores, but many are incomplete. That’s because we fall into routines and forget that not every mess is easily visible. To help you along, we assembled a list of things in your house that you forget to clean.
You must clean your trash cans, doorknobs, light switches, televisions, showers, and ceiling fans. Many people neglect these spots, but they collect lots of dust, dander, and debris. It’s also important to clean the refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and the spaces beneath the furniture.
The best way to ensure you don’t miss these spots is to make a comprehensive cleaning checklist. Follow along as we highlight 12 places homeowners forget to clean.
12 Places You Forget To Clean
1. Ceiling Fan
By now, you’ve probably seen the memes about how your ceiling fan blades judge you for not cleaning them. If not, you can at least appreciate the sentiment, as it’s easy to forget this chore. However, why go to the trouble of cleaning the rest of the room if a dusty contraption spins overhead?
Ideally, you should clean your ceiling fans each month to prevent them from getting too dusty. This should take under 10 minutes if you only have a few in your home. The best way to remember this task is to add it to your cleaning checklist to ensure they are not neglected.
2. Baseboards
Baseboards are like ceiling fans in that you probably see them a lot, but don’t register how dirty they are. They’re low to the ground and easy to miss, until they get filthy. Cleaning baseboards can prevent unnecessary messes, as dust can scatter when the AC or furnace blows.
Baseboards will likely get dirtier faster if you have pets at home. Loose hair, pet dander, dust, and debris can easily get caught on them and become an eyesore. Clean the baseboards after vacuuming or mopping the floors.
3. Light Switches
We all see light switches but don’t necessarily think about them getting dirty. However, they get much dirtier than ceiling fans, considering how often you touch them. That’s especially true when you come home from work or the grocery store and turn on the lights.
You can wash your hands when you get home, but you will probably turn on the lights first. This is enough to track unwanted germs and contaminants into your home via the light switch. Don’t spray your light switches with chemicals unless you turn the power off. The last thing you want to do is damage the circuit, break the light switch, and hurt yourself.
4. Refrigerator
Your refrigerator is an important appliance, however, many people don’t clean it often enough, which can cause problems. Even a clean fridge is prone to mold, but mold is almost inevitable in a dirty one. Ideally, deep clean your refrigerator every 3 to 4 months.
Lightly clean it as needed when you find spills and sticky messes. It’s also important to avoid packing the refrigerator too tightly, or else excessive moisture will build up. If you find mold in your fridge, discard tainted food and thoroughly clean each shelf.
5. Dishwasher
You may think that your dishwasher cleans itself, but that’s not the case. Food remnants and soap scum accumulate in a dishwasher between cycles, creating messy situations. That’s why it’s important to clean the door seals after every 3-4 loads, and the filter once a month.
It’s also a good idea to check the spray arms, as food scraps get lodged there. Empty the dishwasher and run a cycle with distilled white vinegar to sanitize the unit. Doing this every few months can make a huge difference.
6. Under The Furniture
Moving heavy furniture is annoying and many people will avoid doing it. However, the space under the furniture is among the most neglected parts of your house that you forget to clean. Under chairs, the couche, tables, and beds collect a lot of dust, dander, and debris every day.
This dirt can spread through the rest of the room if you don’t clean it. You don’t need to do it every week, but you should make it part of your deep-cleaning checklist. Move the furniture and clean behind and under it at least four times a year.
7. Air Ducts
As a homeowner or renter, you can’t clean certain parts of the house, such as the air ducts. That’s best left to professional HVAC technicians, as it requires special tools and equipment. However, scheduling an appointment is something you need to do.
You’re supposed to clean your air ducts every 3 to 5 years, but many people forget to. Dirty air ducts can spread dirt, debris, and dust throughout the house, creating huge messes. They can also worsen the indoor air quality, which is bad if you have asthma.
8. Air And Furnace Filters
Your air and furnace filters help protect your HVAC system from dust and contaminants. Naturally, they take on the brunt of the dust in your home, so they get dirty quickly. Ideally, you should replace filters every 30-90 days, but not everyone needs to do it that often.
Conversely, some people must replace their filters like clockwork, especially if they have many pets and occupants in a small home. Inspect your air filters every 30 days to check its condition. Lightly clean the filter whenever possible and replace it when it’s beyond repair.
9. Shower And Tub
Showers and tubs get dirty quickly, even if it’s not always obvious. The amount of dead skin, loose hair, and soap scum in a shower is enough to create a huge mess. However, it’s hard to identify them when showering after a long day at work. Remove body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and other bath products from the tub and shower. You will likely find soap scum and grime under the bottles. Pour distilled white vinegar and baking soda down the drain to clear hair clogs.
10. Television
It’s hard to tell when a TV gets dusty unless it’s turned off and the light hits it at the right angle. However, your TV is likely covered in dust at any given time, especially if you haven’t cleaned it in months. Unplug the TV and carefully dust the screen with a lint-free microfiber cloth. Lightly wash the screen with a damp cloth to remove any remaining dust. There’s no need to use harsh chemicals, which may otherwise stain and damage your TV. Remember to clean the TV every 3 to 4 months or as needed.
11. Doorknobs
You may clean your whole house and think everything is fine, but leaving your doorknobs dirty will undo a lot of that work. Doorknobs may not get as dusty as everything else in your home, but they do get dirty. The mixture of germs, bacteria, and skin oils can leave them filthy.
Use some mild dish soap and warm water to clean your doorknobs. You can try an all-purpose cleaner, but dish soap and water will do the trick. Manually dry the doorknobs afterwards to prevent water from dripping onto the floor.
12. Trash Cans
It’s no secret that trash cans are gross, which is what we expect them to be, but that doesn’t mean they should be neglected. Everyone should clean their trash cans monthly to keep foul odors at bay and prevent mold and mildew. You only need to clean an outdoor trash can 2-4 times per year, or as needed.
This is easy to do because you can hose them out in your driveway. Pour several ounces of dish soap in it and blast with a hose. Turn it on its side to let it air dry in your driveway. You can do the same thing if you bring your indoor trash cans outside.
Summing It Up
Many people forget to clean ceiling fans, baseboards, light switches, and refrigerators. It’s also easy to forget to clean the dishwasher, doorknobs, trash cans, and televisions. Don’t forget to clean the washing machine, dryer, and other appliances, which many people neglect.
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Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.
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