We’re all guilty of it: We plow through the daunting pile of laundry, go through everything in the fridge, and deep-clean the entire house, only to feel like there’s something we missed. Most of the time, that unnerving feeling is just a symptom of the fact that the work is never truly done, even if you’ve just spent hours or days scrubbing, washing, and wiping. But sometimes, you really did miss a spot—and you won’t realize it until you’ve put all your supplies away and crashed into the couch for an evening of Netflix. Don’t let that be you. Ahead, five places you’re probably forgetting to clean—and one way to remember them for next time.
| SHOP HANDY CLEANING ESSENTIALS |
Tops of Doorways
I’ll be honest: For the entire first year that I lived in my last apartment, I didn’t clean the tops of my doorways once. Frankly, it was a small apartment and I was the first to inhabit it—so it never even occurred to me that dust could be hanging out on the ledge of my door frame never. Now, I’m living in a 90-year-old home that tends to collect dust quickly, so I use my top-down rule: I clean from the highest point in my space, which is usually the ceiling fan, down to the lowest point: the floors. Depending on how you prefer to clean, you can either take a feather duster to the doorways, or you can dampen a microfiber cloth with some All-Purpose Cleaner and give it a few swipes until everything’s gone.
Handles
Maybe it’s just me, but I was more than a decade of living on my own before I realized door handles need a good scrub down, too. But that doesn’t just mean the bathroom or bedroom door: Think about the handles to your kitchen drawers and cabinets, which are more likely to have food residue on them—as well as your dresser drawers or credenza pulls. In fact, spend fifteen minutes going room to room, taking account of every surface that’s *technically* a handle—and then clean it. Try to make it a weekly thing, especially during flu season.
Lamp Pulls and Light Switches
You may remember to clean the ceiling fan, but did you forget the pulls—or any other light switch for that matter? Pulls may not see a ton of action, but if you’re turning your lamp or fan on daily, you should add every touchpoint to your list. While you’re at it, remember to dust the lampshades, too—then finish by spritzing each room with Room + Linen Spray.
Underneath Appliances
Sure, you make a habit of moving the couch or the lounge chair to clean out anything under there—but are you doing the same for your kitchen appliances? The same goes for any standing accessories, like an air purifier or a humidifier, which can accumulate just as much ick as the tank if you’re not paying attention. Every other week, make sure you move them around to clean underneath and around them with All-Purpose Cleaner.
Top of Shower Curtain Rod
If you’ve never cleaned the top of your shower curtain rod, congratulations—you’re just like 90% of the population that’s never thought twice about it. But when you’re up there changing the shower curtain liner (which you should do at least once per quarter, if not more often), give the rod—or the top of your glass shower, a good wipe-down too. All that moisture has to settle somewhere! Dampen a microfiber cloth with Bathroom Cleaner, then give it a good wipe.
One thing I like to do is write down every single thing that needs to be cleaned in each room on an index card, then keep track of what I need to do weekly, monthly, and quarterly. That way, you have a built-in reminder for the hard-to-remember spots.
xx mlk
