You’ve wiped the counters, vacuumed the floors, and scrubbed the bathrooms. Your home looks sparkling clean, but is it truly clean? The difference between a tidy space and a deeply clean one often lies in the details; the spots we forget, ignore, or simply don’t see.

These overlooked areas can harbor dust, germs, allergens, and grime, impacting your home’s air quality and overall hygiene. Giving them some attention is a game-changer. It gets rid of hidden odors and leaves your home feeling genuinely refreshed. This guide will shine a light on the most commonly missed places and give you simple ways to tackle them.

1. High-Touch Surfaces: Switches, Knobs, and Handles

Think about how many times a day you touch light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles. These are some of the most frequently handled surfaces in any home, making them transfer points for germs and bacteria. Yet, they often get skipped during routine cleaning.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A microfiber cloth and an all-purpose disinfecting cleaner or a disinfecting wipe.
• The process: Lightly spray your cleaner onto the cloth, not directly onto the fixture, to avoid getting liquid into electrical components. Wipe down all doorknobs, handles, and switch plates. Aim to do this weekly, or more often when someone is sick.

2. Baseboards and Wall Trim

Baseboards run along the bottom of your walls and are magnets for dust, scuffs, and pet hair. Cleaning them can instantly make a room feel brighter and more polished. It’s a task that’s easy to put off, but the results are well worth the effort.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A vacuum with a brush attachment, a bucket of warm water with a few drops of dish soap, and a sponge or cloth.
• The process: Start by running your vacuum’s brush attachment along the top edge and face of the baseboards to remove loose dust. Then, dip your sponge in the soapy water, wring it out well, and wipe down the baseboards to remove scuffs and grime.

3. The Tops of Everything High Up

Out of sight, out of mind. The tops of high surfaces like kitchen cabinets, tall bookshelves, door frames, and ceiling fans are notorious dust collectors. While you may not see this dust, it can contribute to poor indoor air quality and trigger allergies.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: An extendable microfiber duster or a damp cloth.
• The process: An extendable duster is your best friend for this task. The microfiber will trap and hold onto the dust. For the greasy dust that often settles on top of kitchen cabinets, use a cloth dampened with a degreasing cleaner first.

4. Inside Your Cleaning Appliances

The very machines that do your cleaning need to be cleaned themselves. Over time, washing machines can develop soap scum and mildew, while dishwashers get clogged with food, leading to smelly and less effective appliances.

How to Clean Them:

• For a washing machine: Run an empty, hot cycle with two cups of white vinegar. For front-loaders, use a vinegar-dampened cloth to wipe down the rubber door gasket, pulling it back to clean inside the folds where gunk hides.
• For a dishwasher: Locate the filter at the bottom, which usually twists to unlock. Remove it and rinse it under hot water, using a soft brush to scrub away debris. For a deeper clean, place a cup of white vinegar in a bowl on the top rack and run a hot water cycle.

5. Behind and Under Large Appliances

The spaces behind and under your refrigerator, stove, and washing machine are often a forgotten wasteland of dust bunnies and crumbs. Cleaning these areas not only removes dirt but can also improve the efficiency and lifespan of your appliances.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A vacuum with a crevice tool and a mop.
• The process: Carefully pull your appliance away from the wall (unplug it first for safety). Use your vacuum’s crevice tool to clear away all the dust from the floor, the wall, and the back of the appliance. Pay special attention to the refrigerator coils, as clean coils help it run more efficiently.

6. Remote Controls and Keyboards

Your TV remote, game controllers, and computer keyboard are handled daily, often with unwashed hands while snacking. Crumbs, skin oils, and germs can easily get trapped between the keys and buttons.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A microfiber cloth, cotton swabs, and rubbing alcohol.
• The process: First, remove any batteries and unplug your keyboard. Dampen a cloth with a small amount of rubbing alcohol and wipe the surfaces. To clean between the keys, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and carefully work it into the crevices.

7. Window Tracks and Sills

You might wipe down your windows, but what about the tracks they slide in? These channels collect an unpleasant mix of dirt, dust, and dead bugs.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: Baking soda, white vinegar, an old toothbrush, and paper towels.
• The process: Sprinkle baking soda into the tracks. Pour a little white vinegar over it and let it fizz for 5-10 minutes. Use the toothbrush to scrub the loosened grime, then wipe it all up with paper towels.

8. Your Mattress

You wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly, but the mattress itself absorbs sweat, dead skin cells, and dust mites over time. A quick refresh can deodorize it and help extend its life.

How to Clean It:

• What you’ll need: A vacuum with an upholstery attachment and baking soda.
• The process: Strip the bed and use your vacuum’s upholstery tool to go over the entire mattress surface. To deodorize, sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda over the top, let it sit for at least an hour, and then vacuum it all up thoroughly.

9. Showerheads and Faucet Aerators

If your shower stream is weak or your faucet flow is sputtering, hard water deposits are the likely culprit. Mineral buildup can clog the small holes, impacting water pressure and quality.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A plastic bag, white vinegar, and a rubber band.
• The process: Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and secure it over the showerhead with a rubber band, making sure the head is fully submerged. Let it soak for at least an hour. Remove the bag and run hot water to flush out the loosened deposits.

10. Inside and Around Trash Cans

Taking out the trash is only half the job. Garbage cans themselves can become grimy and smelly from spills and residue, creating a lingering odor even with a new bag.

How to Clean Them:

• What you’ll need: A disinfecting cleaner or hot soapy water and a long-handled brush.
• The process: After emptying the can, spray the inside and out with a disinfecting cleaner. Use a long-handled brush to scrub the interior, then rinse thoroughly. Let it air dry completely before putting in a new bag.

Ready for a Truly Deep Clean?

Now that you know where hidden grime is lurking, you can add these spots to your cleaning checklist. You don’t have to do it all at once. Tackling just one or two of these overlooked areas during your next cleaning session will make a huge difference. So grab your supplies and reveal a new level of clean in your home.

Hayden Homes offers new homes for sale in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington, thoughtfully designed to suit every stage of life. Whether you’re purchasing your first home, seeking more space, or relocating to a new area, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to discover how we can help you find your perfect home!