25 September Tricky and Easily Overlooked Areas of the Home That You Should Clean Today September 25, 2023 By sma Cleaning Tips, DIY, Home Maintenance appliances, bathroom, electrical, kitchen, living room, plumbing 0 TRICKY AND EASILY OVERLOOKED AREAS OF THE HOME THAT YOU SHOULD CLEAN TODAY September 25, 2023 | Home Maintenance, DIY, Cleaning Tips | kitchen, living room, bathroom, plumbing, electrical, appliances Managing to keep an entire home clean is no easy task. Between doing the laundry, vacuuming the rugs, cleaning the dishes, and taking out the trash, there are plenty of hours in the day already dedicated to housekeeping. Naturally, things fall through the cracks, and certain items in the home are naturally overlooked. The problem is that certain items that might have been easily cleaned in the past can prove a much more difficult task if neglected for too long. If you are interested in being proactive about keeping your home clean, consider taking another look at these often-ignored home items. Spend Some Extra Time in the Kitchen Do people spend a lot of time cleaning their kitchen? Of course they do. Do people still overlook a few areas in their kitchen due to inconvenience or lack of awareness? Absolutely! Kitchens can become one of the grimiest, dirtiest areas in a house if homeowners aren’t consistent about their cleaning habits due to the many kinds of messes and spills that are bound to happen while cooking. It’s when only the surface areas are taken care of that problems begin to pile up. Starting with the dishwasher, some may think that this appliance stays clean simply by performing its function. But those who have noticed distracting smells or extra spots on their dishes are probably experiencing the effects of a dirty dishwasher. As a general practice, rinsing off plates and silverware in the sink prior to running a cycle is a great way to limit food buildup, and filters should be cleaned regularly based on how frequently the dishwasher is used. Additionally, running the washer with any dishwasher cleaner according to its instructions around once a month should correct some of those pesky problems with dirty dishes. Regarding other mostly out-of-sight areas of the kitchen, many homeowners tend to completely ignore the spaces beneath their dishwasher and other appliances, the cracks between the stove and the counter, and on top of their fridge. To clean underneath larger items without moving them, simply use something like a ruler or other skinny implement to knock loose any debris, then choose a flat vacuum attachment or broom to take care of the rest. Accumulating dust can cause damage to refrigerator coils over time, which means that incorporating regular cleaning into a proactive home maintenance routine should extend the life of these pricey items. Treat Your Electronics Well Considering the amount of attention some family TVs and computers get, these items get very little TLC. Smudges on their screens and dust accumulation naturally add up over time and can affect these device’s performance, but cleaning electronics can make many homeowners nervous. To clean screens without causing lasting damage, start by using a dry cloth to dust, then using a screen-safe cleaner. Note: Apply screen cleaners to the cloth rather than to a screen directly to avoid damage. To clean a television’s remote control, start by removing any batteries, then use a damp cloth for basic cleaning. It may be necessary to use a cotton swab or a toothpick to address any debris caught between buttons or in any other crevices. Compressed air is also a great option for getting at any vents or other difficult-to-access areas on the body of a television that are bound to gather dust over time. Take Another Look At Your Faucets Somewhat similar to the reasons why dishwashers can be neglected, faucets and shower heads are mainly involved in cleaning other items, so it might be odd to think about them getting dirty. With that said, these items are some of the items in a home that cause the most shocking reactions once homeowners finally take notice of how bad they’ve gotten. With the build up of mold, mildew, or other debris which can lead to diminished water pressure and distorted streams, shower heads and faucets certainly benefit from regular cleaning. For both items, one common remedy involves using a mixture of vinegar and water to break down the debris that’s built up on faucet and shower head exteriors. Try using a plastic bag to hold the mixture, then wrap it around the faucet or shower head. This solution should be left in place anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours depending on the severity of grime that needs to be broken up. Afterwards, simply run some water for a few minutes to clean out the remaining vinegar, and viola! In addition to these cleaning strategies, regularly unscrewing and rinsing out a faucet’s aerator is a great habit to get into. Sometimes, appliances and systems that aren’t performing up to expectations can be vastly improved in just a few short steps. Did you know that, just like proactive cleaning, many of your home’s primary features’ lives can be considerably extended through regularly checking in on their condition? Call your locally owned NPI inspector to learn more about the benefits of a home maintenance inspection today! Comments are closed.