Spring is in the air. With the change in season comes the time for a whole-house cleaning. While some home owners might require a little more motivation than others in getting down and dirty for the task, most people realize a deep clean isn’t something that can be put off forever. Looking on the bright side, you won’t regret that you took the time to keep your home in its best shape. And you’ll probably burn a lot of extra calories getting to work.
Following is a list of common items that are often neglected throughout the year with regard to regular cleaning. You might have put out of mind that some of these items harbor a hidden collection of dirt and bacteria that require your attention. As unpleasant as it sounds, most of the dust that lands on our furniture, appliances, and carpet comes from the hundreds of thousands of skin cells each of us sheds every day. Vacuuming and dusting obvious surfaces works to some degree, but for a truly clean house, you’ll need to do more.
1. Upholstery. Some of the biggest dust collectors are the soft sofas and chairs we rest our bodies on every day. Use your special vacuum cleaner tools to get between the cushions and under the furniture. And twice a year, when you’re hiring the professional carpet cleaners to clean your carpets, have them clean your most frequently used upholstery as well. This will help keep the dust mites at bay and freshen up any odors that accumulate over time.
2. Curtains. Airborne particles from dust, smoke, and pollen easily collect on curtains. When you think about how essential curtains are to a home– décor, privacy, lighting control—it’s a wonder we don’t clean them more often. If you know they’re made of a washable fabric, set a schedule to wash them once every few months. If they aren’t washable, use a steam cleaner or hire a professional. You’ll breathe easier afterwards.
3. Indoor plants. Whether silk, plastic, or real, the leaves of plants provide perfect landing surfaces for dust, and lots of it. With a delicate touch, you can remove dust with a damp cloth. But if you want a cleaner method, carefully spray small bursts of air from a can on each leaf.
4. Pet bedding and food bowls. Do your furry friends a favor. Sanitize their bowls and beds. Rinsing isn’t powerful enough to kill microbial life. Wash bedding with detergent and hot water. Sanitize bowls by scrubbing with a cleaner or if microwavable, wet the bowl and nuke it for a minute.
5. Refrigerator and freezer. Mold and bacteria can develop in your fridge. Considering that most everything in your refrigerator and freezer is supposed to be eaten, it’s kind of gross not to keep the fridge clean. Clear out all the contents and use a water, vinegar, and baking soda solution to wipe down every nook. And even if you’re not tall enough to see the top of the fridge, clean that too.
6. Mattress. Changing your sheets isn’t enough. Did you know that most mattresses are recommended to be steam cleaned twice a year? Check your manufacturer’s instructions. Since we spend seven to eight hours every day in our bed, mattresses are prone to lot of skin cell build up. They’re also home to microscopic critters. Dust mites are known to trigger allergies and asthma. Use your vacuum tools regularly on your mattress, then schedule steam cleaning as advised.
7. Frequently-handled objects. Places where you and your kids put your hands—door knobs, handles, light switches, TV remote controls—all need regular disinfecting. Your hands are one of the biggest transfer systems of germs. Keeping a supply of Clorox wipes is handy for this type of regular cleaning.
8. Baseboards. No one has fun bending over for the perimeter of every room to clean the baseboards. Now days there are special sweeper tools available that don’t require any bending. Besides the obvious dust collecting factor, rooms look dingy when bordered by a black or grey film of dirt. Sometimes a good baseboard cleaning gives the appearance that they’ve just been repainted.
9. Electronics. Everything that requires electricity has its own magnetic field. Dust is especially attracted to your TV, fridge, home computer, and radios. If left unattended, they’ll get dustier over time. Obviously keep water away from electronics. A microfiber soft cloth works great on these surfaces. Canned air is helpful for cleaning a computer keyboard.
10. Cleaning tools. Everything that you use to clean—sponges, rags, brushes, dusters—get grimy over time. If you don’t clean or replace your tools when they start showing signs of dirt or wear and tear, you might be spreading around the very grime you’re trying to remove. Soak in a 50/50 water and vinegar solution overnight to clean and then air dry.
11. Ceiling fan blades. If your ceiling fan collects dust all winter, you’ll be fanning dust all over the room when it comes time to turn it on. Brush off the tops of ceiling fan blades with a duster. Or try putting an old pillow case over each blade and swiping off the dirt on top of the blade.
12. Light fixtures. Sometimes we don’t even notice dust on a light fixture until we have reason to get up close to it, like changing a bulb. Whether you use a rag or a feather duster, remember that most fixtures are made of glass so they require a delicate touch when cleaning.
Sure, cleaning can feel like a hassle. But after it’s done, the difference is noticeable and enjoyable. And it’s a worthy investment in taking care of both your home and health.