Cleaning your house is important to maintaining a healthy home and taking care of your family. Unfortunately, it’s easy to overlook certain areas of the house that need regular cleaning. From light fixtures to door handles, here are seven often overlooked areas you should be cleaning in your home.
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1. Gutters
Gutters are an often-overlooked house area, but they play an important role in keeping your home’s structure safe from water damage. Gutters help to direct rainwater away from the sides of your home and into a drain or gutter system, which keeps water out of places it shouldn’t be, like basements and crawl spaces. If not cleaned regularly, gutters can become clogged with leaves and debris, leading to flooding or other types of water damage.
This is why cleaning gutters should be part of regular maintenance around your home. Regular gutter cleaning helps prevent costly repairs caused by water damage. Clogged gutters will cause rainwater to overflow the gutter system and onto the ground, which can cause water to collect around your foundation and even seep into your basement or crawl space. Cleaning your gutters regularly helps ensure that rainwater is correctly channeled away from your home and prevents water damage.
Gutter cleaning also helps protect against pest infestations. Leaves and debris accumulate in the gutter over time, creating the perfect breeding ground for pests like mosquitoes, flies, wasps, and other creatures. Regular gutter cleaning will help keep these pests away from your home by removing their nesting sites. You may also want to consider hiring an exterminator, such as Nashville mosquito control services, to help in keeping the pests away.
2. Air Vents
Air vents are often overlooked when it comes to household cleaning, but not cleaning them can have a major impact on the air quality in your home. Air vents trap dirt, dust and allergens, which can then be circulated into your home’s air system. This creates an unhealthy environment that can cause respiratory problems and other issues if left uncleaned. It is important to keep up with regular cleaning of air vents to ensure clean air in your house.
Cleaning air vents also helps improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. When dirt accumulates in the vent or ductwork, it impedes airflow, reducing the system’s effectiveness. Dirty filters also reduce airflow, leading to higher energy bills due to increased energy usage.
3. Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are an often-overlooked area when it comes to cleaning. We focus on other areas in the house such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms, but we often forget about this important item that can help keep our homes cool during the summer months. Ceiling fans add a bit of style to any room and circulate air better than most other methods—making them a must-clean item!
Due to their location, ceiling fans accumulate more dust than other items in your home. This is especially true if you have pets or if there isn’t much air circulation in your home. Dust stuck on the blades of your fan not only looks bad but can also affect the performance of the fan. If you’re not careful, this can lead to expensive repairs or replacements. Make sure to dust your ceiling fans at least once a month to keep them clean and running efficiently.
The Norwex envirowand makes it easy to clean your ceiling fans, even if they are well above your head. The flexible end lets you curve the wand to fit your fan blades. If your ceiling fan is set in a vaulted ceiling, you can attach the envirowand to the Norwex mop handle to reach further. The microfiber picks up most of the dust and grease off your fan blades and can be easily washed before you need it to clean the fans again.
4. Refrigerator Coils
The coils on your refrigerator are an often overlooked part of the appliance that need regular cleaning. Over time, dust can collect around the coils which can cause them to become clogged and inefficient. Make sure to vacuum or brush off these coils every few months so that your refrigerator continues to function properly.
5. Window Blinds
Window blinds are notorious for collecting dirt and dust over time, especially if placed in direct sunlight or near open windows. Regularly wiping window blinds with a microfiber cloth will help keep them looking good and prevent any buildup from becoming ingrained in the material. To make sure you get into all of the nooks and crannies, try using a q-tip to clean any hard-to-reach areas.
6. Baseboards
Baseboards are easy to overlook when cleaning your house, but they’re important for maintaining a tidy appearance. Vacuuming or wiping down baseboards once a month will help eliminate dust and dirt and keep them looking nice. If there are scuff marks or stains on the baseboards, you may want to use a lightly dampened cloth and some gentle detergent to remove them.
Mom tip: this is a great chore to assign to your toddler! He or she is close to the ground anyway and will feel a sense of accomplishment at helping Mommy keep the house clean. I usually get one of my younger kids to clean the baseboards while I’m cleaning something else in the same room. Then I can gently remind the child to go back to get missed spots.
7. Light Fixtures
Light fixtures can become dusty and grimy with everyday use, and they can be easy to forget when you’re doing your weekly cleaning. Regularly cleaning light fixtures will help keep them looking bright and new for longer periods of time. Make sure to wipe down the glass or plastic dome covering each fixture and any metal parts like screws or hinges. The Norwex dusting mitt is an easy, gentle way to clean light fixtures. You may also want to vacuum around the fixture to remove any dust that has collected.
Cleaning these seven often overlooked areas in your house is necessary for maintaining a healthy and clean home. Keeping on top of regular cleaning will help prevent any dirt and grime from becoming ingrained in the surfaces and it will also help keep germs at bay. With just a few minutes of work every month, you can ensure that your house looks great all year long!
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