DIY
10 Places You Forget to Clean
Just in time for spring cleaning! Use these tips to keep your home feeling fresh and clean year-round and clean those often forgotten places.
By Harrison Keegan
Mar 2014
Photo courtesy Shutterstock
Just in time for spring cleaning, Cheryl Sameshima of DomesticAide (Editor's Note: Since the initial publication of this article, DomesticAide has closed.) and Kim Lucht of Maids of Honor (Springfield, 417-881-4555) remind you of often-overlooked spaces you shouldn’t forget to make spic-and-span.
Ceiling Fans
These can be dust magnets that don’t often get cleaned because they’re not easy to reach. Sameshima says cleaning light fixtures on fans and the tops of blades can keep dust out of the air.
Baseboards
Lucht says baseboards may not look dirty until you get up close, but they can be magnets for dust and hair.
Bathroom Light Fixtures
Lucht says hair products can create a sticky glaze around bathroom lights that retains a lot of dust. Gross!
Closets
Spring can be a great time for a little de-cluttering, Sameshima says. Out with the old; in with the new.
Tops of Large Furniture
Just because you can’t see the top of your armoire doesn’t mean it’s clean. Sameshima says out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind. Dust that thing off!
Around Appliances
Worried about what may be hiding under your oven? Lucht recommends pulling out your refrigerator or stove and cleaning behind it.
Walls
Lucht recommends using a mild disinfectant to clean the walls. This could help keep you from getting sick and shouldn’t hurt the paint.
Changing Furnace Filters
Don’t forget about those filters! Sameshima says changing them can cut down on dust in your home and also make a difference on your utility bill.
Carpets
Sameshima says it is a good idea to steam clean your carpets once or twice a year. The spring is the perfect time to do it after tracking salt and snow in all winter.
Vents
Lucht says cleaning out your air vents is good for home safety and will help keep the air clean.
