Places in Your House You Should Be Cleaning More Often Than You Think

Raise your hand if you dread spring cleaning. Us, too. Cleaning is probably one of the least enjoyable parts of home maintenance, but ironically, staying on top of cleaning is the easiest way to ensure it’s a quick and seamless process. While you’re likely vacuuming, wiping down the bathroom sink and mirrors, and dusting on a semi-regular basis, there are other places in your home that you should be cleaning more often than you might think.

Baseboards

Wiping down your baseboards is time-consuming when done infrequently. If you wipe them down once a month, however, look forward to minimal time and effort as a continued goal.

The first time you wipe down your baseboards, you’ll likely need to spend some time in areas where dust buildup, scuff marks, and other grime tend to accumulate. Beyond that, taking a rag and cleaner around the baseboards of your home should be a quick process, and they’ll always look their best.

Windows & Sills

Typically added to our cleaning schedules as a “spring cleaning” event, washing your windows and window sills is another time-consuming process that’s easy to put off.

However, if you visit these areas monthly (during the months in which it’s realistic to clean both sides of your window panes), you’ll find it’s much easier to get the job done with less grime build-up.

Inside & Behind Appliances

Your appliances have the potential to create some filthy areas in your home. Behind the refrigerator becomes a dust trap, and the space between your oven and the cabinets might be full of crumbs from cooking. To clean under your refrigerator, grab a broom or yardstick and cover the end with a microfiber cloth or a tube sock. Sweep your tool multiple times under each appliance. Vacuum or sweep up what you’ve unearthed. Cleaning behind a stove is trickier – first, you will need to check to see if the connecting hose is flexible or not to be able to pull it out a few inches, and then you can stick a skinny vacuum wand down behind it to get out crumbs. Be sure to use the broomstick with the cloth on the end to clean the floor underneath as well.

Build appliances into your weekly cleaning habits, and touch up the spaces behind them every 3 months. You’ll notice that the interior of your oven, microwave, fridge, and dishwasher need monthly maintenance, whether they have a self-clean setting or need manual, spray-and-rag attention. Your appliances will last longer, and you’ll find they’re much easier to stay on top of with a semi-regular cleaning cadence.

Vents

Dust your air vents quarterly, inside and out. Dusty vents look gross – not to mention that it also means you’re circulating dust throughout your house.

Showers

Taking a daily shower isn’t enough to keep the shower clean, ironically enough. Your showers and bathtubs should get a full scrub down, at the minimum of once a month, to maintain their appearance and quality. During this cleaning, take note of your shower curtain (or glass door, if applicable), as these can also build up mold and grime.

While countless places in your home could use the occasional cleaning, these areas are easily the most important to stay on top of to avoid taxing and time-consuming annual cleanings. Rather than ignoring them until next year, add these areas to your regular cleaning schedule to ensure your house is spotless, year-round!