If you're someone who likes to keep their home (and themselves) squeaky clean all the time, then you've probably already got your checklist nearby every time you do a deep clean. After all, it's important to get yourself organised ahead of time so you don't leave anything out or forget to disinfect an area.

But as thorough as we may be in most rooms in our home, it's likely that we're also a little bit forgetful and neglectful when it comes to certain areas that are more difficult to access regularly.

So, be sure to dust down those cabinets, wipe down your fridge, and mop the floor – but don't forget these hidden spots.

Bathroom:

In your bathroom, I’m sure you spend a lot of time cleaning the obvious bits. The toilet, bathtub, shower and bathroom floors all get a thorough scrubbing regularly. But what about the spaces that you barely notice?

Don’t forget these areas when cleaning your bathroom! Credit: Christa Grover/Pexels

When you’re cleaning your bathroom, remember to:

• Clean and unclog the overflow holes in your sink.
• Clean and disinfect most-touched but rarely-noticed surfaces, such as your shower head handle, toilet flusher, and drawer handles.
• Dust and wipe down any vents. You can use this cleaning tool that ‘gets the job done’ every time, according to one pro cleaner.
• Clean your shower head thoroughly. We’ve got a tip for cleaning your shower head right here.
• Wash your loofah (yes, this needs to be cleaned thoroughly as well). Loofahs contain fungal organisms that lead to skin infections, especially if it comes into contact with an open wound. Wash it with clean water to ensure no soap remains on it, and hang it where it can dry completely.

Need some tips on how to start? We’ve got three secret tips for cleaning your bathroom sink and unclogging your drains here.

Kitchen:

The kitchen is the heart of the home – this is where we all eat, where family and friends get together and is arguably the most used room in the house. Therefore, it’s important to ensure you’re cleaning every surface and not just the obvious ones.

When cleaning the kitchen, remember to tackle the hard-to-reach places as well. Credit: Charlotte May/Pexels

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When cleaning your kitchen, don’t forget to:

• Clean under and behind your major appliances. One cleaning expert showed how she transforms her clients’ kitchens here.
• When you’re tacking the oven, don’t forget the warming drawer. If you’re unsure how to start cleaning your oven, you can read our tip here. For oven racks, you may refer to our previous article instead, because there are far easier ways to clean those oven racks that don’t require scrubbing!
• Dust the top of the refrigerator to avoid dust from accumulating. If not, you risk inhaling dust which could lead to illnesses or risk aggravating the lungs of someone with breathing issues like asthma.
• Clean and disinfect your drawer handles and the handles on your cabinets, fridge, and microwave.
• Disinfect the buttons you press on your stove and microwave using a mixture of mild soap and water.
• Wipe down the tops and undersides of your cabinets using a microfibre cloth.

Living Room:

People usually pay attention to their kitchen and bathroom for hygienic reasons. But that puts cleaning the living room on the back burner. However, the living room is usually the first room guests will see – so, it makes sense to clean this space regularly as well.

The living room is the first space your guests will see. Credit: Jean van der Meulen/Pexels

Impress your guests by remembering to:

• Dust your plants – even the fake ones. Dirt and dust accumulate on the surfaces of your plants regardless of whether they are real or fake, which looks unsightly. (A bit unrelated, but if you have fake grass, you can use this simple trick to make it look neat and tidy again.)
• Dust your candles. In the same vein, candles collect dust over time. Clean your candles by rubbing them gently with a piece of nylon net or a soft cloth.
• Clean and disinfect items such as remotes and coasters, or items that usually get touched by people. Just use a cotton cloth and dampen it with some rubbing alcohol, and wipe down the surfaces of these items gently. Make sure your cloth isn’t dripping wet, otherwise you risk damaging your remote control.
• Dust the tops of your picture frames. You can either use a microfibre cloth to make sure you’re not damaging the glass or a duster.
• Remove your lounge and chair cushions to clean stains. You’ll need dry cloth, a sponge, and a mixture of ¼ cup of mild detergent and a cup of lukewarm water. Add the solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the stain. Then, using the sponge, work the solution into the soiled area. Make sure you’re not rubbing the stain! This will only deepen the stain. You are far better off just dabbing the stain to make sure it is removed. For more stain-cleaning solutions, you can read our tips here.
• Vacuum underneath the lounge to remove dust and dirt.

Bedroom:

Lastly, your bedroom is the place where you get to relax and unwind after a long day. Because of this, it should be kept extremely clean and in tip top condition. When cleaning your bedroom, don’t forget to:

The bedroom is where you unwind, so make sure to keep this area clean. Credit: M&W Studios/Pexels

• Wipe your curtain rods when you toss your curtains in the washing machine.
• Clean and disinfect the most-touched items in the room, such as alarm clocks, drawer handles, and whatever you see on your nightstand using a cloth that’s been dampened with rubbing alcohol.
• Clean your hangers – especially if you use them outside. If you’re using plastic clothes hangers, gather them all and lay them into the bathtub or sink. Soak them in water first to remove dust or grime. Then, add a few drops of your favourite dish detergent and let it dissolve into the water for 10 to 15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse the plastic hangers with clean water and you’re good to go!

Key Takeaways

• Be sure to clean your bathroom, kitchen, living room, and bedroom thoroughly, especially areas that aren’t usually noticed or frequently touched.
• In the bathroom, clean and unclog the overflow holes in your sink, as well as dust and wipe down any vents.
• In the kitchen, don’t forget to clean under and behind your major appliances, dust the top of the refrigerator, and wipe down the tops and undersides of your cabinets.
• In the living room and bedroom, clean and disinfect high-touch items like remotes, coasters, alarm clocks, and drawer handles, as well as dust your plants, candles, and picture frames.

We hope these tips will help you the next time you do a deep clean! Do you have other pieces of cleaning advice you’d like to share, members? Let us know in the comments!

 

[Thecheesequeen]

We’re all seniors on here - at this stage of our lives do we really need minute instruction on how to clean our homes.

 

[MC12]

One thing most people forget to clean is light switches. Bit of vinegar on an old toothbrush, press excess moisture off into a cloth, scrub both the on and off side of the switch. Amazing difference! Don't have the toothbrush too wet, don't want to get electrocuted.

 

[Stanier123]

Laundry

1). Dryer- clean the filter as fires can start
2) Dryer- take out the heat exchanger and clean to save energy
3) Dryer- vacuum loose debris and wipe moist surfaces with a micro cloth
4) Washing mc- run a commercial fluid through to eliminate smells
5) Floor drains- pour bleach down to kill germs

 

[Big M]

We’re all seniors on here - at this stage of our lives do we really need minute instruction on how to clean our homes.

No! How have we managed all these years without all this crap?