If you’re like any other busy, multi-tasking adult in the 21st Century, you probably feel like you have a hard enough time keeping up with the typical household cleaning tasks – sweeping, mopping, dusting, toilets and showers, etc.

So it might not come as a surprise to you that there’s a slew of other gross things in your house that you’re forgetting to clean.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I have a list of things in your home that are harboring dust, dirt, mold and bacteria, that you might be missing in your cleaning schedule. But on the flip side, you’ll be aware of them after reading this, and you can add them to your checklist.

This article goes hand in hand with our previous post, 8 Overlooked Areas in Your Home That You Should be Cleaning (The list never ends, am I right?)

The Top of the Fridge
It might currently be doubling as a storage area for cereal, kids’ art work and more, but if you run your hand along the top of your fridge, you’ll probably find more than just the stuff you’ve stashed away from the kids. I’m talking about the layer of caked on dust and grime that needs your attention, stat.

The Top of Your Picture Frames
If you’ve been dusting the face of your frames and forgetting the tops, you’re going to be impressed by the amount of dust that has accumulated there. And by impressed, I mean disgusted. Grab that swiffer duster and get to work.

Your Dining Room Chair Seats
Whether they’re fabric, metal, wood or plastic, there’s no doubt that they’re the breeding ground for fingerprints, crumbs, caked-on food, pet hair and dirt. Give them a little TLC.

The Window Crevices
The area between the glass and the window screen is a breeding ground for gunk and dirt. It’s tedious and gross, and might require a plethora of tools, but it needs to be done.

The Blinds
Cleaning blinds can be a tedious job if you’re not maintaining them regularly. If you’re diligent about cleaning them weekly with a Swiffer duster or microfiber cloth using the top-down method, they won’t get to the point of no return, when you’d rather chuck ’em than try to clean through years of caked on dust.

The Inside of the Light Fixtures
You probably don’t want to look, but the inside of your light fixtures is pretty nasty. I’m talking dead-bugs-cobweb-city-dust-bunny nasty.

One of my ceiling light fixtures has had a sock stuck inside of it for months, so I’m in the same boat as you with neglecting this area. But in my defense, I’m short and I don’t have a ladder.

The Toaster
Just added to your to-to list: scheduling the toaster into your cleaning schedule. Not only does it get dirty on the outside and underneath, but the crumb trap can pose a fire hazard if not cleaned regularly. Yikes!

Underneath The Counters/ Tables
You’d be surprised how much food and gunk somehow ends up UNDER the counter lip or table overhang. It can get pretty gross under there, especially when you have little ones.

The Toothbrush Holder
I know it’s easy to overlook because it’s being used regularly, but that’s also why it’s so gungy and dirty. The toothbrush holder is full of germs and bacteria, and those germs end up directly in your mouth.

While I’m on the topic, experts recommend that the counter is the worst place to keep your toothbrushes, due to the amount of germs that are spread in the bathroom. Two words: Pooh particles. Eesh.

The Shower Curtain and Liner
Your shower curtain and liner are breeding grounds for mildew and mold, so experts recommend that it’s best to replace your liner every 6 months and your shower curtain once a year if it can’t be washed.

The Corners of the Floors
Those little crevices where the walls meet collect more dirt than any other wall area, and they’re so hard to reach. That might be the reason why you’re neglecting to clean them.

The Exhaust Fan in The Bathroom
Any fan or vent in your home should added to this list. The same way you need to replace air filters in your furnace or your car, you need to clean out vents, range hoods, fans and anything else that cyclones dirt and dust through it.

The Headboard
I have a fabric headboard and I can attest that the top of it gets furry if I don’t stay on top of the dust. Wood headboards are easier to clean than fabric ones, but they also harbor dust in all the nooks and crannies, and depending on the style of headboard, you might have a lot of nooks and crannies to cover.

The Trash Can
Your garbage can get stinky and gross pretty quickly if not cleaned regularly. In the warmer months, take it outside and hose it down before disinfecting it. Use disinfectant wipes on a regular basis for the top, sides, and under the lid.

Your Plants
Both house plants and faux plants collect a ton of dust and they need to be cleaned. Not only does it look gross, but it’s bad for the health of the plant.

The Remote Control
What gets touched all the time but never gets cleaned? Your remote. Wipe it down with a disinfectant wipe every now and again. Other honorable mentions in the high-touch/often ignored sector are computer keyboards, tablet screens, and your phone.

Under the Couch Cushions
As a parent, I sometimes exercise the “out of sight, out of mind” mantra to my cleaning methods, but this can be potentially disastrous, especially when it comes to what’s hanging out under the couch cushions. Save yourself from a horror movie scene and vacuum under there regularly.

The Vacuum Cleaner
Don’t forget to clean your vacuum’s parts to get the most life and best performance out of it. Regular maintenance will keep it in good working order longer. Follow the cleaning instructions from your vacuum cleaner’s manual, or do a quick Google search to find out the best cleaning method for your model.

Your Pet’s Stuff
Pet bowls and toys often get overlooked when cleaning, but they harbor bacteria the same way any other household items do, and they need to be cleaned.

How Did You Score on this List?

We’re not actually keeping score and there’s no demerit points for missing these areas, but if you need a hand keeping up with the gross stuff in your house, give Rose Cleaning a call, we’ll handle the dirty work.


Written by: Stacey Wood