Housekeeping tips: Spots You’re Forgetting to Clean

You clean your home regularly, making sure the dishes are done, the bathroom is clean and the laundry isn’t piling up too much, but even the cleanest people can overlook the little things without realising it. If some spots—think light switches, TV remotes and bins —are missing from your cleaning routine, here’s a little reminder to thoroughly clean house.

Light Switches

Light switches and wall plates are some of the dirtiest spots in your home—you’re always touching them and getting bacteria on them, but they’re often overlooked in the cleaning process. Disinfect using wipes and rubbing alcohol (or your preferred household cleaner). Rubbish bins

Okay, so you take out the dirt regularly, but do you ever deep clean your bins? Not doing so can leave bacteria behind and stink up your home. Hose it down – you’ll need a nylon-bristled scrub brush and a disinfectant spray, too. Under Your Appliances

If you’ve never cleaned under or behind your refrigerator—or stove, or any of your other major appliances—it’s probably time to take them on.

The Washing Machine

Does your washing machine smell a little funky? It may mean that it’s due for a cleaning. Good news: With a little help from some baking soda and vinegar, you can get your washer back to its normal clean and odourless state. The Dishwasher

Much like your washing machine, you may not realize that you actually need to clean your dishwasher from time to time—after all, it’s the thing that’s supposed to clean other things, right? The Coffee Pot

If you want to ensure that your morning cup of joe is grime-free, it’s time to clean your coffee pot. How you clean your coffee maker depends on what type of coffee maker you use. TV Remotes

Your remotes are actually pretty easy to clean, but you might not ever give doing so a second thought. To keep all your remotes under control in the dirt and germs department, wipe them down with a cloth dampened with a mixture of half water, half rubbing alcohol. Your Phone

You take your phone with you everywhere, which means it collects germs everywhere you go. Do more than just wipe fingerprints off your screen—make sure it’s thoroughly clean. A microfiber cloth, rubbing alcohol and water can help.

The Curtains

Curtains can collect dust just as easily as the rest of your home, so you shouldn’t just hang them up and forget about them. How you clean them depends on the material they are, so make sure you know what you’re working with before you throw them in the washing machine or take them to a dry cleaner. Your Toothbrush Holder

Your toothbrush holder can be easy to ignore, especially if it’s one that’s hard to see inside (where most of the grime collects). To get your toothbrush holder—and thus, your toothbrush—clean and keep bacteria at bay, use hot water, a pipe cleaner or small scrub brush and mouthwash.