Top 15 Places in Your Home that You Forget to Clean

Most homeowners do a deep clean in the spring and tackle different rooms as needed. This keeps your home livable and presentable, but there are many areas of your home that remain off the regular cleaning radar (15 to be exact!). When left for too long, it can lead to excessive buildup of dirt and grime. Here’s some room-by-room tips on how to identify neglected areas in your home, and how to clean them.

#1: Your Dishwasher

Your dishwasher sees more heavy use than any other appliance in your home. It should be cleaned at least once a month. Here’s how to do it: 

• Clean out the cylindrical filter underneath the bottom rack: it’s a catch-all for leftover food and grease must be emptied by hand as your regular cycle just can’t do it 

• Use water with bleach or white vinegar to clean the inside of your dishwasher 

• Run a cycle with a special dishwasher detergent or rinse aid to remove soap scum and hard water deposits 

 Important! Do not use laundry detergent here as it will foam up during the cycle.

#2: Your Range Hood

In addition to wiping down the outside, you also need to clean the filter and underside of your range hood. Grease can build up very quickly and significantly impact the range hood’s performance. Follow these tips and do a thorough clean at least once a month: 

• Slip on some rubber gloves to protect your hands 

• Wipe down the outside with a microfibre cloth and good grease-cutting cleaner 

• Use your degreaser and a soft, non-scratching brush to scrub the underside 

• Fill your sink with hot water, dish soap and baking soda 

• Remove the filter and soak it for 15 minutes 

• Scrub away the loosened grease and grime until clean 

• Allow the filter to dry before reinstalling it 

 Note: if your filter is damaged or won’t come clean it should be replaced with a new range hood filter

#3: The Rest of Your Kitchen

Here’s a few other easily overlooked items and areas of your kitchen to address:

• Sweep away food scraps and other debris from under the fridge and stove 

• Clean the kickplate on your fridge and stove 

• Spot wipe cabinet doors 

• Dust or vacuum the tops of cabinets 

• Wash out the under-sink garbage can 

• Clean out the inside of your microwave 

• Clean and polish small appliances

#4: Your Living Room

Your living room can also be a high-traffic area. Kids and pets create messes, and everyone snacks in front of the TV. Here’s a few quick-cleans to do in addition to your regular routine: 

• Move the couch out from the wall and vacuum underneath 

• Remove the cushions and vacuum deep into the cracks 

• Wet-wipe hard surfaces like coffee and end tables 

• Thoroughly clean high-touch items like TV and stereo remotes

#5: Your Bedrooms

Bedroom’s don’t see as much activity as other rooms in your home, but there’s still a few places that require regular attention:

• Pull out the nightstands and vacuum behind them—you’ll find a lot of dust that is unhealthy to breathe in 

• Give them a quick polish now that all sides are accessible 

• Wipe away any coffee and drink stains on the walls behind the nightstands 

• Dust your night light lamp shades 

• Vacuum under the bed 

• Wash your pillows every 3-6 months (if machine washable) to remove mould, bacteria and odours

#6: Your Bathrooms

You probably already clean the sink, shower, tub, and toilet on a regular basis, but there are other things in the bathroom you should focus on too:

•  Clean the walls around the toilet as they are subject to constant splashes 

• Clean the light fixtures to remove dust that dampens the brightness in your bathroom 

• Scrub the floor tile and tub tile grout with a good grout cleaner 

• Remove the grill to the exhaust fan and clean inside 

• Clean your shower curtain with laundry detergent and baking soda to remove spots and soap scum 

• Spray and scrub all surfaces with a good disinfectant

#7: Your Laundry Room

Your laundry room contains two of the most important and expensive appliances in your home—your washer and dryer. So in addition to general room upkeep, these items require specific cleaning and maintenance: 

• Remove any damp clothes from your washer immediately as it can promote the growth of mould and mildew 

• Clean the rubber door seals of your washer with a solution of one cup of bleach and two cups of warm water 

• Fill the bleach dispenser with bleach and run a complete cycle with hot water but without any clothes 

• Clean your dryer lint screen after every use 

• Have your dryer exhaust duct cleaned by a professional once a year

The Rest of Your Home

Some frequently forgotten places are not room specific. Here’s what to remember to clean throughout the rest of your home:

        #8: Light Switches - These are high-touch areas and should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis 

        #9: Light Fixtures – Pendants and other hanging lights collect dust very quickly and need to be wiped regularly with a damp cloth 

       #10: Baseboards - Vacuum first, then run a damp cloth along them to remove any surface dirt 

       #11: Doors - Wipe down the doorknobs and check the bottom of the door for toe marks 

       #12: Doorframes - Easily overlooked but prone to dust buildup, use a feather duster to reach the high spots 

       #13: Ceiling Fans - Use a step ladder to reach the fan blades and give them a good dusting 

       #14: Window Treatments - Vacuum curtains and wipe down blinds as both collect dust very quickly 

       #15: Walls - Spot-wipe any new marks as you find them: they’ll be harder to clean over time!

Finding and cleaning these easily overlooked areas may not have a great aesthetic impact, but it’s still well worth doing. In addition to eliminating potential health hazards and extending the life of appliances, you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that everything in your home is spotless, sparkling, and clean.