When you walk into a room, it’s usually easy to see what needs to be cleaned. There’s a pile of dirty laundry just waiting to be done; or the kitchen sink is piled with dirty dishes, pots, and pans ready to go in to the dishwasher.
But once the obvious things are cleaned away, we tend to forget about the rest of the room. With the lighter days approaching us, take a look at a couple of these places you could be forgetting to clean during your cleaning routine:
Underneath furniture – When you look under a bed or sofa there are usually a few dust bunnies rolling around that can be quickly captured with a vacuum or dust mop. But did you take the time to look at the actual bottom of the furniture? You may be shocked at what you find clinging to bed frames and chair seats. Use your vacuum or a microfiber mop to get rid of dust and grime.
Walls and skirting boards – Dust and grime can cling to vertical surfaces as well as horizontal ones. Open the curtains and blinds and turn on all the lights and you’ll be amazed at how furry your walls may be. If you happen to have wallpaper, even more dust could be lurking. Start at the top of the wall and work down using a duster that traps particles. Finish by cleaning away any marks that may be around light switches and doorknobs. Finish your wall cleaning by paying attention to skirting boards. An amazing amount of dust can collect on those tiny ledges. In rooms like kitchens and baths where there is more humidity, you’ll probably need to wipe the baseboards down with a damp cloth because the moisture has turned the dust into soil that clings to the surface.
Tops of cabinets, frames and doors – When you’re cleaning, take time to look up. You may see more dirt. We tend to ignore what’s beyond our plane of sight. Routinely clean the top of door frames, kitchen and tall storage cabinets, picture frames and corner of ceilings. While you’re up there, check the light fixtures and ceiling fans. A disposable duster with an extendable handle is your best tool for capturing dust and spider webs. If you don’t have one, use a clean microfiber cloth.
Indoor plants – Whether your indoor plants are real or silk, they can accumulate an amazing amount of dust. Most live plants will benefit from a quick trip under the showerhead. If they are too large to move, use a microfiber cloth or disposable duster to wipe down each leaf. Dust silk plants or take them outside, give them a shake and a dust down with a damp microfiber cloth and they look good as new!
Just have a look next time your doing your cleaning checklist and see what you find! Happy cleaning!
