Top 3 Most Neglected Home Cleaning

Top 3 Most Neglected Home Cleaning

You might think keeping a clean home of important. I bet you have clean countertops (clutter not included) and you don’t leave the house wearing soiled clothes. But what about those ceiling fans? Do you wipe those down every month? How about once a year?

Many places on our home take care of us on a daily, some on an hourly basis. They deserve our love and attention. Let me share with you the Top 3 most neglected home cleaning places in most homes.

I got some really good advice from three professionals in the cleaning field and I want to share it with you today.

• Beth McGee is the author of “Get Your House Clean Now: The Home Cleaning Method Anyone Can Master”.
• Debbie Sardone, from SpeedCleaning.com (co-owner).
• Melissa Homer from MaidPro where she is Chief Cleaning Officer. Love her title! I feel I earn that title too; in my own home. :P

Let's start with #3 of the top 3 most neglected home cleaning areas.

Do you have a knife block? That beautiful chuck of wood. When is that last time that was cleaned out? Debris can accumulate on the knife blades and food particles can become trapped in the knife slots.  McGee suggests using canned air to force out the dust and food debris. After using the air sprayer, soak the entire block in hot soapy water for 30 minutes. Rinse the block really well and then leave it upside down to dry overnight. Air-dry the block before putting your knives back in. Your knives work hard for you, they deserve a nice place to live.

The #2 most neglected home cleaning area is the dishwasher. Did you know you needed to “clean” your dishwasher? It’s job is to clean, I thought it was cleaning itself each time it cleaned my dishes. I have noticed a bad odor coming from the dishwasher from time to time but then it goes away, only to return. Sardone says those bad odors can be addressed by removing the filter screen in the bottom of the dishwasher. Soak the screen a use a brush to remove any extra debris. Next step is to fill a small dish with vinegar and place it on the top rack. Run an empty cycle using hot water. When the cycle is complete, open the door and let the dishwasher air-dry. The stink will be gone!​

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Any guess to the #1 most neglected home cleaning area?

The top neglected cleaning spot is….drum roll please ….it’s the shower head! Since it's just you and me here right now, I can admit to you that I have never “cleaned” the shower heads in my home. I’ve wiped them down and scraped it with my fingernail when one of the nozzles starts spraying sharp left or sharp right. But “clean” them, never. McGee says it’s easy. Don't worry, there is no removing of the shower head. Whew! McGee suggest wiping the shower head down every couple weeks. For deep cleaning to remove scale and reduce clogs, deep cleaning should be done twice a year. Homer recommends submerging the showerhead in a quart-size baggie filled with vinegar and water. Use a rubber band or elastic hair tie around the bag ad the pipe behind the head to hold the bag securely over the shower head. 10 minutes should be long enough for most shower heads to soak. For lots of build-up, you may need a little longer soak. After soaking, remove the bag, rinse off the vinegar, wipe down the showerhead and you are done!

I hope you enjoyed reading about the top 3 most neglected home cleaning areas and they are no longer neglected at your house. I learned some great tips from Beth, Debbie and Melissa. Maybe there is a tip or two you start at home. If they work for you, pass them on to others. Keeping a clean house is not always easy and can be quite time consuming. Personally, anything that gives me more time to play vs cleaning, is always a good recommendation to share!

With gratitude,
Angie Ringler