Cleaning is one of those things most of us do reluctantly. We know it has to be done, but it takes up a lot more time than we have to spare. We all have a go-to cleaning list that covers off the basics. Some of us might be neat freaks and go that extra mile. However, for the most part, we tend to clean the usual spots and ignore a lot of places we don’t look at too closely. For a thorough clean, you can start considering a few of the most common spots people tend to overlook. Here are 14 spots we bet you have forgotten to clean more than once:
1. Stained mugs and cups: If you’re an obsessive coffee drinker, your mugs and cups tend to get a dark discolouration from the rich deep brown of your favourite hot beverage. And tea lovers aren’t off the hook either. You can keep your mugs looking their best with a little vinegar and baking soda. This natural scrubbing combo will remove the stubborn coffee and tea stains your dishwasher or hand washing won’t touch.
2. Your pod coffee maker: If you use a pod coffee maker that gets a pretty good workout every day, you should make an effort to clean it at least once a month with these easy steps:
- Unplug the machine.
- Remove the washable parts and wash them in warm water.
- Wipe down your machine with a clean cloth.
- Replace the washed parts and plug your machine back in.
- Fill the reservoir with water and a dash of vinegar, and start the brew cycle to empty into a mug. Discard the water and keep running it until it is emptied out.
- Leave the Keurig on for four hours to allow the residual vinegar to continue cleaning.
- Fill the reservoir with water and continue to run the brew cycle until all the water is discarded.
3. Patio umbrellas: Before putting your patio umbrella away for the winter, give it a thorough scrub with water and baking soda to remove moisture and mildew. Make sure it is completely dry before sealing it up. It will also keep bugs from nesting there when your umbrella is stored.
4. Bath mats: Throw your bath mat in with your dirty towels every week to avoid mildew and unpleasant smells.
5. Your iron: This might seem like an odd one, but your iron can collect gunk when the heat comes into contact with certain fabrics. The next time you heat up your iron for use, that gunk will melt and spread on your clothes. You can use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to scrub away gunk and avoid ruining your shirts.
6. Storage baskets: The storage baskets you use throughout your home can collect all kinds of stuff. From onion skins in the kitchen to rock salt on your boot trays, you can keep these containers clean with a quick vacuum. You can also opt to dump them out every once in a while.
7. Your reusable shopping bags: Hopefully, you are doing the environment a solid by using reusable bags for your groceries. First, an added tip for health: always use different bags for raw meat. Second, because your groceries can leave contaminants behind, you should clean them with an antibacterial wipe after use, especially if you know there’s been a spill.
8. Dusty lamps and shades: These household items are like magnets for dust. You can wipe them down with a duster when you’re making your weekly pass over your other furniture. But you should also use your soft attachment on your vacuum to suction off that dusty shade buildup inside and out.
9. Faucet gunk: Gunk can really build up behind your faucets. You should always make sure you are giving the area around your faucets a good scrub with a toothbrush, say, once a month or so. This will get rid of that questionable germy, scummy soap and toothpaste grunge that can build up in the bathroom and all likes of horrifying gunk that can appear in your kitchen.
10. Vent hood: Your vent hood is the collector all things greasy and grimy. It can be a hard thing to tackle, but it can be done. You can remove the filters and soak them in warm soapy water, then thoroughly dry them before putting them back. The hood itself will require hot soapy water and a sponge with an abrasive, but non-scratching back. This will help you get that sticky buildup removed.
11. Heat and AC vents: You can dip your vacuum into the upper area of your air vents to reduce the dust and other things that might collect there over the weeks.
12. Blinds and shutters: These are big dust collectors, especially shutters. A handy dust mop can be run over the slats, but sometimes this can leave buildup in the corners. Instead, use a damp cloth to remove dust once every month or so. For blinds, they can be lifted out of their holder and then wiped down thoroughly with a sponge and soapy water. This is important for blinds in the kitchen, as they can get a sticky buildup of grease.
13. Your toaster and toaster oven: Most toasters and toaster ovens have a slide-out tray you can remove and clean. You can also unplug your toaster and then hold it over the sink to shake out the excess crumbs. If you don’t, you might get mini-fires flaring up when the crumbs heat up.
14. Your garbage bins: Kitchen bins are disgusting. To avoid gagging every time you toss something into the garbage, you should literally hose down your bins at least once a month. Dirty bins can attract vermin, so keeping them clean is important. You can also pay attention if you make a spill; just wipe it right away to avoid the buildup. You can also fill the bin with hot soapy water and let it sit for a while, and then dump the water out. An added tip: Place a fresh-scented dryer cloth in the bottom of your bins to reduce odours.
These tips will help keep your home extra clean. If you don’t have the time, the cleaning team at Maid4Condos has your back. Click here to schedule your cleaning today!
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