6 Things You're Forgetting to Clean in Your Home

“A clean home is a happy home” is statement we can all agree with. There’s just something deeply satisfying with seeing our spaces tidy and clean—probably the reason why so many cleaning videos on TikTok easily go viral. Even with all the latest and most effective cleaners, there are many spots in our homes that are lingering and accumulating unwanted dirt even after a good deep cleaning.

READ: The One Mistake We Make When Cleaning

6 things/spots that you also need to clean:

1. Light switches, handles, and personal items

Since the pandemic started, everyone picked up the habit to sanitize things such as mobile phones, keys, wallets, and door knobs. It’s a great habit to continue but we should extend it to include the other places that we come in contact to just as often.

If it’s a spot that is touched more than once in a day, then it should be sanitized regularly as well. This would include light switches, fan switches, gas range knobs, faucet handles, and personal items such as keyboards and controllers for TVs, consoles, and air conditioners. All they need is a good wipe down with, preferably, a toxic-free sanitizer.

READ: Do You Know the Difference Between Sanitizing and Disinfecting?

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2. Space underneath appliances

We often see tutorials on how to clean our microwaves but it never seems to include cleaning underneath it. A lot of dirt accumulates underneath our appliances especially ones located in our kitchen. This could lead to the spread of bacteria and even invite unwanted pests.

Have a look under your toaster, espresso machine, and other bulky appliances the next time you do any cleaning. You may be surprised with what’s lingering under there.

READ: Here's a Quick Way to Clean Your Microwave Oven With Vinegar

3. Coffeemaker

Whether you use a coffee brewer, an espresso maker, or a coffee pod machine, these appliances need regular cleaning apart from the pots and filters that needs dishwashing. Since these machines heat water, a build-up of mineral deposits will eventually develop in the heating elements and its other components.

This may not necessarily be dangerous or toxic to us but it can prevent your machine to function optimally or even break. You can easily deal with this by using a coffee machine descaling agent and cleaner to make your machines look and operate like brand new.

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4. Exhaust fans

Many of the places we often miss to clean are ones that are above our heads. Exhaust fans are often overlooked because it doesn’t seem like a spot that needs cleaning. But if you look much closer, you’ll find that a lot of dust can build up in exhaust fans in very little time.

Much like regular electric fans, buildup like this can cause it break down or worse; possibly catch fire. So clean it often using a strong vacuum cleaner. Also, if it is left dirty, it may not work efficiently and cause a buildup of moisture or smells in the space that can linger and contaminate.

5. Vacuum cleaner

If there’s anything we need to maintain often it’s the tools we use to clean. Most of the time, we simply clean out or replace the dust bags of our vacuums but forget that the other components also need regular disinfecting as well. The hose, the attachments, the barrel, and cover should also be washed or wiped down regularly. This way, you don’t spread any lingering dust or dirt all over your home.

READ: When Should You Clean Your Vacuum Cleaner?

6. Space underneath faucets

Just because our faucets look shiny and clean from above, it can be a whole different story below. Even if we scrub our faucets thoroughly, without looking closely, we may miss a few spots that can eventually grow to something more hazardous.

Grime, rust, and bacteria can start to accumulate underneath our faucets that may contaminate the water we use to brush our teeth, wash our hands, and soak our dishes. Don’t worry, cleaning is just as easy as it is with other hardware in your kitchen or bathroom. You just have to be sure to check it carefully to ensure you don’t leave any dirt or grime behind for anything worse to develop.