Cleaning can be overwhelming, and in the process, a couple spots can be forgotten. To help with these hidden areas, we’ve compiled a list to help you recognize commonly forgotten cleaning spots across your home, some of which can pose real dangers if not cleaned enough.
- Dryer vent- If not cleaned once a year, a clogged vent can not only decrease dryer efficiency, but become a fire hazard.
- A/C filters - It is important to replace them once a month. When too much dust accumulates in the filters, it decreases the air efficiency of your air conditioning, which consequently will raise your electric bill. Similar to a dryer vent, A/C filters can also become a fire hazard if overly-clogged.
- Behind and underneath the fridge- If you’ve ever happened to drop some food and bend over only to notice what is under your fridge, you’ve probably been shocked to see the amount of accumulated dust. Just as surprising is the back of uncleaned fridges, which can house the same level of grime. Make sure to clean this spot around once a year to boost cleanliness in your house. Clean it more often if anyone in your home has dust allergies.
- Oven vent or a vent hood- These vents can become very messy and difficult to scrub if not cleaned regularly. No one wants smoke, dust, and grime spread around their kitchen, so make sure to clean your oven vents around once a year.
- Fireplace- You can clean basic dirt routinely, but let the professionals take over if you notice any sticky tar, which could signal a dangerous fire hazard. Additionally, make sure to schedule a chimney inspection once per year to ensure a safe fireplace.
- Fire alarms- A dirty smoke detector can cause a faulty smoke detector. Clean your alarms every six months to prevent dirt build-up that could prevent the device from doing its job, and while you’re at it, change the batteries to ensure the alarms are fully charged.
- Light switches- Especially during the summer, when the kids are out of school and playing outside all of the time, light switches can become especially unclean. Simply wipe them down every so often with a disinfectant wipe to prevent muck build-up and the spread of germs or sickness
- TV remotes- Imagine all the hands, food, and grime that have been spread on your remotes over the years. Yuck. Clean your remotes once a month, but make sure to take out the batteries first to avoid an unintentional shock.
- Microwave- Although an unclean microwave may not pose any great dangers, no one wants old food falling into their new food. Take a disinfectant wipe and scrub down the inside of the microwave once every two weeks just to get rid of any unwanted food specks or stains.
- Shower drain- Whenever pools of water begin to rise up by your feet while showering, this area is probably the culprit. Hair and lint can accumulate in the drain and cause clogging, which will decrease the efficiency of your drainage system, and mess with your showers. Although it’s a pretty gross job, put on some latex gloves and clean out your drain once a month.
After cleaning these spots, you probably won’t want to scrub down the rest of the house too. Let our expert cleaners take over and visit The Cleaning Authority today for a free online estimate.