Wipe and Organize presents: surprising things you don’t clean enough in your home!
You surely take good care of your home, and you invest a lot of time making it look good, fresh, and organized, but as weird and annoying as it might sound, there are some things you don’t clean enough.
Every single object in your home deserves your attention, and while you make sure that you sweep and mop your floors every single week, deep clean your carpets every few months, and take out the trash weekly, there still might be things you don’t clean enough.
This took me by surprise too, which is exactly why I talked to some cleaning experts about how to make sure your home is always germ- and bacteria-free, and they shared some insights with me. And yes, you’ve guessed it; I’m going to tell you everything I know.
So without further ado, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and let’s get down to business, because here are some surprising things you don’t clean enough in your home!
1. Walls
Did you know that your Swiffer Sweeper floor mop can do more than just clean your hard floors? This item is amazing, and you need it in your home because it’s going to make both your walls and your floors sparkle.
All you have to do is attach a dry cloth to the rectangle end and press it along your interior walls and trim. The reason why many people, including me, love this tool is that it can pick up dirt, cobwebs, and dust safely without you having to step on a ladder or chair.
If you don’t have a cleaning item like this at home, you’re wasting time and effort. Check it out here on Amazon, because it’s going to take your cleaning session to the next level!
2. Pillows
Did you know that some of the things you don’t clean enough are your pillows? I’m guilty of this bad habit too, and I have to get it out of my system because it’s not good for my health.
Experts say that you should wash your pillows about every four months or so because they get full of sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells, and these things can give you breathing problems, acne, and a weird smell on your pillow, and that’s surely not going to help you fall asleep faster.
To make sure that your pillows are germ-free, throw them in your washing machine on a gentle cycle with hot water to remove all those bad things. When it comes to drying, I have a little hack for you: add some clean tennis balls in there to speed up the drying process and prevent the pillow guts from clumping.
3. Inside closets
How often do you show your closets some love? You probably make it a priority to declutter and change or adapt the wardrobe from one season to another, but do you make sure to give your walls, shelves, and trim much-deserved spruce?
If that’s not something you do, next time you declutter your closets, don’t forget to dust the walls and wipe them down, and also make sure your trim and shelves get a good vacuum. Trust me, you won’t find any dust particles or old hairs on your clothes if you follow this tip.
Did you know that your closets are some of the things you don’t clean enough in your home?
4. Door knobs
Whether you live in a house or in an apartment, you have door knobs, and every single member of your household or your guests touches them. But besides getting so much attention, these tiny items are part of the things you don’t clean enough.
If you use an alcohol-based cleaner, it will only take you a couple of minutes to get rid of germs and bacteria that you might otherwise be carrying from one door knob to another. However, make sure you don’t get cleaner on the trim or wood doors because you risk damaging the finish.
5. Refrigerator
We continue with this list of things you don’t clean enough, and this time we have to show your refrigerator some love because it deserves it. Your fridge is one of the most important appliances in your kitchen because it has the critical duty of keeping the food you eat bacteria-free, fresh, and tasty.
But as much as you might try to not make a mess, there’s a high chance that small particles of your food might fall in your fridge, and before you know it, you need to give it a spruce.
You should defrost and clean your fridge once a year, and if you live in humid places, once a season is more than enough. Besides that, you should maintain regular cleaning, so you should clean it about once a week to keep your food fresh and your device properly working.
6. Oven
If you don’t use your oven all the time, it’s easy to forget that this appliance is one of the things you don’t clean enough. Make sure you include this tool the next time you deep clean your kitchen because remnants of old food and liquids and built-up spills inside ovens can cause smell and smoke issues.
One of the easiest things you could do is deal with them as soon as they happen and make it a habit to clean your oven regularly. If you forgot about it for a while, it might take a hot minute the first time, but including it in your regular cleaning schedule is going to make things a lot easier.
7. Trash can
Sure, you put a garbage bag out each time you take out the trash, but that doesn’t mean your trash can is free from bacteria and germs. Who knows what unpleasant things lie at the bottom of your bin, thanks to those times you threw something just to forget there’s no bag in there?
Make sure you clean your trash can every week with soap and lukewarm water to kill any dangerous bacteria or spills from trash bag leaks and keep up with freshness by spraying the inside of the can with a disinfectant.
Are trash cans some of the things you don’t clean enough in your home?
8. Toilet brush
You use your toilet brush to keep your toilet nice and fresh, but did you know that these brushes are some of the things you don’t clean enough?
These items have a pretty filthy task to tackle each day, and the thought of what’s leftover on them can leave people a little queasy, but it’s important to keep up with good hygiene there too.
You can keep your toilet brush fresh with the help of a magical product, which you can find here. Only a splash of Pine-Sol at the bottom of your brush container is going to help your brush be fresh and disinfected, so no bad leftovers will be left there.
9. Shower curtains
Your shower curtains are also part of the things you don’t clean enough, although it might sound like they get plenty of washing. Given the fact that your shower curtain is placed in a wet environment, it can attract all sorts of annoying mildew.
Don’t forget that at least once a month, you should wipe down your shower curtains with baking soda, and if the fabric they’re made on is okay to be put in the washing machine, you should put them in every once in a while.
10. Computer keyboard
If you use your computer or laptop a lot, how often do you clean your keyboard? Besides the germs on your hands, this part of your computer can collect dust, dead skin cells, hair, and food crumbs.
Use compressed air to get all the crumbs out of your keyboard and repeat the process every two months, depending on how much you use your gadget. When you’re done with that, take a cotton swab and dab it with rubbing alcohol to wipe between the keys.
If you don’t do this, your computer keyboard will continue to be one of the things you don’t clean enough, and that could lead to health problems, especially if you touch your nose, mouth, and eyes after using the computer and without washing your hands first.
11. Washing machine
You might not think that your washing machine is one of the things you don’t clean enough since you use this appliance to keep your clothes clean and fresh, right? Well, you might use it all the time for laundry, but how often do you actually clean it?
Experts recommend you run an empty load with just bleach and hot water once a month, so your washer won’t get any mold or unpleasant smells over time.
12. Coffee reservoir
This one might shock you! You surely clean your coffee pot as often as you can, but you shouldn’t neglect the other parts of the machine, especially the reservoir. According to a study, one of the things you don’t clean enough is your coffee reservoir, and some experts even say that this item can be dirtier than toilet handles and seats.
Don’t forget about this part, and make sure that every now and then you give it a good old deep clean with equal parts vinegar and water. Just turn on your coffee machine so that the vinegar cleans the carafe and gets rid of the mineral buildup in the device’s pipes.
Once this is done, “brew” a pot of plain water to remove any traces of vinegar. Repeat this water process if you can still smell the vinegar. After that, your appliance will be brand new.
You might be drinking coffee every day, so make sure the coffee reservoir isn’t part of the things you don’t clean enough!
13. Hairbrushes
Some people think that pulling the hair out of your combs and hairbrushes means that these items are fresh and hygienic, but this is wrong because they’re still some of the things you don’t clean enough.
Your toothbrush can hold plenty of things, such as dead skin cells, lingering hair products, debris, and other yucky things. Cleaning it will make sure that all the germs are gone for good, and it will make your hair shinier, tangle-free, and healthier, so make sure you give it an overnight soak in baking soda and warm water to have an item that is just as good as new.
Another thing I like to do is rinse it with shampoo and give it a scrub using an old toothbrush. It works wonders, and I usually do that when I’m in the shower, waiting for my conditioner to do its magic.
There are many other things you don’t clean enough, so keep reading until the end!
14. Under your fridge
We’ve talked about cleaning your fridge, but what about the space under this massive appliance? Believe it or not, the tiny space between the floor and your fridge is a strong magnet for dust, food crumbs, pet hair, human hair, and other small trinkets.
If too much time passes and you forget about sweeping and mopping there, don’t be surprised if you see any ants, kitchen bugs, and other pests.
This cleaning task might not be the easiest one on your list, but there are tricks to make it simpler. For instance, you could use a hair trap cleaner, also known as a drain cleaning zip tool, and the best part about this is that it won’t scratch your floor and will reach further than a vacuum cleaner attachment. If you don’t have a device like this at home, you can get it from any home improvement store for less than $10.
15. Light switches
How many times a day do you switch on the lights? Probably too many times to count, right? It doesn’t matter how clean your hands are; each time you put your fingers on that light switch, you actually spread germs, and the worst part is that they can be transferred from one place to another through touch.
You probably don’t want your light switches to be among the things you don’t clean enough, so you can easily get rid of this problem by damping a cloth with a high-quality cleaner and wiping those bad bogs down on a regular basis. That’s it.
16. Outdoor lights
If you leave something outside for a longer time, it will get dirty, isn’t that right? The same thing can happen to your outdoor lights, but they’re still part of the things you don’t clean enough.
You might not like this, but pests build their nests on your outdoor lighting fixtures, so you’d better check them out each year to keep them nice and clean. Use a cloth and some cleaning solution to give your items a fresh look.
Are your outdoor lights part of the things you don’t clean enough in your home?
17. Vinyl siding
If the outside of your house is made of vinyl siding, you already know that this tends to stay reasonably clean, but severe weather conditions, such as tropical storms and snow, can lead to stubborn stains that won’t go away with a quick spray from your pressure washer or hose.
For better results, you could use both a pressure washer and a high-quality cleaning solution, such as the one you can get from Amazon, and you’ll notice that your home will look a lot better and shinier.
Repeat the process once a season or twice a year, depending on how your vinyl siding looks, and you’ll be golden. What do you think are other things you don’t clean enough? Keep reading, and you’ll find out!
18. Deck
Your deck is exposed to all the seasons and temperatures, so it gets in contact with all sorts of elements. You should clean it at least once a season, so it’s nice and fresh, and don’t forget to use the proper cleaning tools and products to keep it in good condition all year long.
Is your deck one of the things you don’t clean enough?
19. Dryer
Did you know that each year, more than 15,000 fires are brought on by lint buildup inside your dryer cabinets? Even though your dryer comes into contact with clothes on a weekly basis, it’s still one of the things you don’t clean enough.
To keep your appliance in good condition at all times, you should empty the limit trap before and after each use, and don’t forget to clean the dryer vent at least once a year.
Other than that, clean the inside of your dryer with a moist cloth every week, and you’ll enjoy clean and fresh laundry as well as a good-functioning device for many years to come.
Do you think you have any other things you don’t clean enough in your home? Can you name other things you don’t clean enough? Leave them in the comments! If you want to read something else from Wipe and Organize, here’s a fantastic article for you: 10 Cleaning Mistakes That Make Your Home Dirtier
