You know those days when you conduct a full-on, deep-cleaning session at home? You likely always manage to take care of the primary places of action in your home such as the living room, kitchen, bathrooms. You remember to vacuum the rugs and carpet, wipe down the countertops and coffee tables, and clean the windows every now and again.
But there are a few choice places that you’re probably not cleaning as often as you should be.
Or maybe you neglect to get into the nitty-gritty areas of the house as you simply assume they don’t ever get dirty due to limited exposure. But that’s a mistake. Just because a certain spot or item in the house is left alone over time doesn’t mean it stays clean and germ-free. Indeed, the areas we're going to focus on are often chock full of bacteria and other nasty toxins that can be detrimental to your health.
But with a little know-how, you'll be able to keep these areas just as cleaning as the rest of the home. Here are the top five commonly missed cleaning spots that you should start including as part of your regular cleaning routine.
UNDER THE FRIDGE
You may tackle the front and sides of your fridge with a bottle of Kitchen Cleaner, and occasionally the inside shelves when a spillage occurs or a particularly nasty odour starts to emanate. But have you ever considered pulling the fridge out from the wall and looking underneath? The bottom of the fridge is a hotbed for dirt and grime, as it accumulates all sorts of debris, crumbs, and food wrappers, if left without any intervention.
The best thing to tackle this area is wash with hot soapy water to ensure that all the residual bacteria and grime is thoroughly washed away.
THE SHOWER CURTAIN
Do you associate the shower with always being clean? After all, the only thing you really use in the shower is soap and hot water. But shower tubs and curtains do get dirty. Dirtier than you would probably like to think. Over time, a shower curtain will easily accumulate soap scum, mildew, and grime. Further, damp environments are prime locations for breeding bacteria, so you should make a habit of cleaning the curtain with a Bathroom spray cleaner on a regular basis. Most shower curtains can also be thrown in the wash just like a blanket or towel.
BEHIND THE TOILET
Bathrooms are beacons of personal hygiene. I bet you almost always make sure to clean the sink, counters, mirrors and toilet, but it’s easy to neglect reaching behind the toilet itself, which harbours incredible amounts of grime and bacteria. Make it a habit to get to the back of the toilet when you’re cleaning the rest of your bathrooms to ensure it won’t start to accumulate a buildup of dust and dirt.
REMOTES, IPADS, CELL PHONES
Rarely would you think that personal tech gadgets could be truly dirty, so we almost never clean them. But these objects gather bacteria and germs extremely quickly. Think about it – you pass your cell phone around, hold it up to your mouth, drop it on the ground, wedge it between car seats, and leave it on counters and tables all over the place. There’s really no telling what kind of organisms are living on your phone, TV remote, or your iPad - especially if you have little ones running around. Not only do they accumulate their own dirt and grime, but you don’t want them exposed to germs on your gadgets. Make a point of keeping them germ-free and looking great by giving them a quick spray and wipe with an All Purpose cleaner every once in a while.
CUTTING BOARDS
Cutting boards are some of the most heavily-used pieces of kitchen equipment. If you don’t take proper care of them then they can accumulate leftover food, organic bacteria, and germs very quickly indeed.
If you use plastic cutting boards, leave them in a sink of hot soapy water for twenty minutes and then wipe dry with a microfiber cloth. For wooden chopping blocks, you can re-seal with a food-safe butcher block oil. All you need to do is rub a few drops of the oil onto your board, and it will help prevent it from cracking and warping.
