14 Areas of Your Home You’re Not Cleaning Enough | Maid4condos
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14 Areas of Your Home You’re Not Cleaning Enough

14 Areas of Your Home You’re Not Cleaning Enough
September 6, 2021

You might think you are killing it as an ace home cleaner. You wipe down your counters several times a day, scrub that toilet, wash the floors and wash your sheets every week. Your home is sparkling. However, our condo cleaning service experts are here to tell you, chances are you missed a spot somewhere along the line. Here we look at 14 areas of your home you’re not cleaning well enough, and how you can tackle them.

Areas of your home that aren't thoroughly cleaned

1. Cutting board

We’re hoping you at least wash your cutting board every time you use it for meat, but a lot of people don’t bother washing their cutting boards for things like fruit or vegetables. After, every time you use it, you should be washing your cutting board to disinfect it.

Plastic boards can be run through the dishwasher or washed with soap and water, followed by a good rinse to get rid of soap residue. Wood boards are higher maintenance and need to be washed with either a mix of 75% vinegar with water or a paste of water and kosher salt. Rinse well for both.

2. Rice cooker

We’re not sure of the thought process for this one. Maybe people think they only use it for rice, so why bother washing it. But seriously, yuck. Anything used for food preparation or cooking needs to be washed after every use. Clean the lid and thoroughly wipe the pot so it’s ready for use next time. Otherwise you’re leaving an open invitation for bacteria to move in and grow.

3. Microwave

This is another big yuck. Every time you use your microwave and ignore those spatters you are creating a horror show of bacteria. Look, we know spatter doesn’t happen every time you use a microwave, but if it does, wipe it down immediately. Otherwise, you should clean it once a week.

An easy tip is to put a bowl of water in the microwave and run it for five minutes and let the steam loosen any dry food particles. Then wipe it all down with a clean cloth.

4. Humidifier

It’s easy to ignore your humidifier, but mineral deposits can build up inside, these deposits reduce its efficiency, causing it to break down sooner than it should. If you have a cool-mist humidifier you should clean the reservoir every third day or so with water.

When cleaning your humidifier, avoid using soap or disinfectants if you see mineral deposits and use vinegar instead. The wick needs to be cleaned with cold water and dried completely before you turn it back on. Remember to replace the wick every six months.

5. Sofa

Your sofa sees a lot of wear and tear, and if you tend to binge eat as you binge watch, it needs a good vacuum between and under the cushions every two weeks. Of course, if you drop something on it you need to spot clean it right away. It doesn’t hurt to give it a professional clean every year.

6. Dishwasher

You might think your dishwasher stays clean since it is running all the time with water and soap, but you should be cleaning the gasket with warm, soapy water every six months. Use a dishwasher cleaner in the dishwasher to eliminate any mineral deposits twice a year as well.

7. Toilet brush

What? Clean a cleaning brush?

Well, we don’t have to explain why this is a must, even though pretty much no one does it. You can spray it down with a disinfectant spray, especially the handle, every now and then to reduce germs. Otherwise, you’re just swirling the same, ahem, ‘dirt’ around every time you “clean” your toilet.

8. Coffee maker

Your coffee will taste a lot better if you clean your coffee maker once a month. Otherwise what might seem like a simple black cup of coffee comes with a pile of bacteria.

The easiest and most effective way to clean your coffee maker is to use a mix of 1:1 vinegar and water to wipe everything down. Rinse everything thoroughly to avoid salt and vinegar coffee, great for chips not so good for your morning cup. Also, give your manual a read to see if it recommends descaling and follow those instructions if it does.

9. Dish rack

Dish racks get a grungy build-up of the residue left behind from dish detergent. You can wash it with the same trusty 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water and give it a scrub if needed once a month.

10. Mattress and pillow covers

You should wash these at least a few times a year in hot water to kill dust mites. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions before popping them in the wash.

11. Air purifier

The main concern with air purifiers is the filters. Because there are different kinds of purifiers and filters, make sure you read the instructions, so you know how to wash them and/or when to replace them.

12. Vacuum

Some vacuums have a washable filter that needs to be cleaned every month or so. Follow the manual instructions to make sure you understand how to take it out, and be sure it is completely dry before you put it back in place.

13. Pillows and comforters

To properly clean your pillows and comforters, read the instructions listed on their tags and follow the cleaning steps once a year or so. This will help remove dust mites, as well as things like drool and sweat that can accumulate on them over time.

14. Washing machine

The problem with washing machines is that they can get rusting or mildewy when not allowed to dry properly. Always leave the lid/door open when your load is done to let the moisture evaporate after each use. Front-loaders are worse because of the rubber seal around the door. Wipe it down after each use if you remember. Also, they make specialty cleaning products you can run in the wash cycle once a month to reduce the risk for mould or mildew growth.

To learn more about cleaning your home thoroughly, call Maid4Condo on 647-822-0601 or contact us here.

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