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If you want to have a nice place, you need to look after it—and not everyone knows the right way to do so. Luckily, in a viral Reddit post by user Mature-Sensible-Name, professional cleaners have revealed the most commonly overlooked areas and items in our homes that desperately need attention. From things we come in contact with every day, such as mattresses, to more hidden details, like dishwasher filters, continue scrolling to see what was mentioned and check if you're doing a good job yourself.

#1

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Clean your light switch’s and door knobs they are always gross and people rarely clean them.

tdrex , Steve Johnson / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Corvus
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ugh, while renovating my home (the previous owners had not taken good care of it), I decided to clean up the gray-colored light switches. Turned out they were actually white all along... imagine the build-up on them :P

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#2

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Here's one people NEVER do but really should: vacuum your mattress. No, I'm not kidding. When you change your sheets you should vacuum that b***h so you can suck out whatever dead skin and c**p have made their way down there. Also, we all know to wash the fitted sheet. But below that, mattresses sometimes have another removable cover, please wash that too.

Mermaidfishb**ch , Cup of Couple / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Marcos Valencia
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good to know. At home, we use mattress covers that are regularly washed, but I never vacuumed a mattress in my life...

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To learn more about the topic, we contacted Sergio Licea, whose company, EDGE Cleaning Service, offers a range of services for homes in Washington State, including regular cleaning, deep cleaning, and move-in/move-out cleaning, among others.

"In my experience, people are generally good at cleaning large surface areas like tables, countertops, sinks, and shower floors," Sergio told Bored Panda. "That's probably because they are the most visible.

"However, what most people tend to miss are the hidden areas that aren’t noticeable at first glance but actually accumulate the most bacteria and grime."

#3

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Something I didn’t notice until I sat on the floor the other day; places your pets(cats in particular) rub against.
My door jams and walls were very dirty at cat level.

I didn’t see this mentioned: lighting fixtures and hood vent. Baking soda is a very good friend of mine!

GhostofErik , Tranmautritam / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#4

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Please empty your toaster crumb trays. I have found crumb trays so full that some of the crumbs were BLACK from being burned. That's a fire hazard!!!

spidergirl79 , Nicola Barts / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#5

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Coming from someone who is taller than average I’d like to mention that many people only clean to their eye level.

NeverPostAThing , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Verena
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Special challenge in (older) houses in the Netherlands:Windows open to the outside. In Germsny the open to the inside, so safely cleaning all windows is easy. In NL you have window washers who come at your hozse, with water and sponges/squeegies on long sticks and clean the outside up to the 4th ((US: 5th) level.

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The 2024 National Cleaning Survey results showed that for 70% of Americans, having a clean home gives them a sense of accomplishment, another 66% get a mood boost out of it, and 63% feel more productive.

However, people don't enjoy every part of the process. 49% said they dread and/or avoid cleaning places that are hard to reach (e.g., behind or underneath furniture or appliances), and 38% can't stand cleaning places that can get filthy (e.g., bathrooms, vents, basements, etc.).


#7

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Clean the things you use to clean other things.

Replace your kitchen sponge at least twice a month. Wash your towels weekly. Leave the door to your washing machine open after each cycle so it doesn’t mildew. You get the idea. If these things aren’t clean, it can manifest in big ways. Ever met one of those people who has a faint musty/sour smell even after showering? Chances are they’ve been using the same nasty bath towel for weeks/months and don’t notice the smell from it anymore.

freudian_nipslip , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Groundcontroltomajortom
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always leave my washer door open and take out the drawer, stops any smells in my clothing but winds my partner up when he's trying to cook (In the UK we have our washers in the kitchen)

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#8

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t The toothbrush holder, your spit and saliva drips down the bottom of brushes into the cup, nasty.

Stellamonster85 , Ron Lach / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Groundcontroltomajortom
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I put my toothbrush heads (detachable electric toothbrush heads) in a glass with mouthwash that gets changed every few days. Keeps them clean and germ free.

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#9

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t When I did housekeeping during college, I noticed that many people neglect to take down their shower curtains periodically for washing.

That's the accumulation of body oils, fluids, etc that has splashed off your body. You can disinfect and make a bathroom sparkle, however, the stench off the ripe curtain...ick.

anon , Charlotte May / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

"In kitchens, I often see extreme amounts of mold buildup in sink drain covers and splash guards, as well as grime accumulating in cabinet corners," Sergio explained.

"And in bathrooms, I frequently encounter mold buildup in the corners and crevices of showers, along with clogged drains. These not only cause unpleasant odors but also harbor large amounts of bacteria."

#10

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t I never understand why people don't use pillow protectors between their pillows and pillowcases. They help extend the life of your pillow. I have seen some really nasty pillows. Remember, you spend the night drooling on your pillows.

Timeflyer2011 , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#11

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Their fans.
Mfs be having the DUSTIEST ceiling fans in the world. How do y’all sleep with those things spinning? It’s like snow.

HarrietTubmansNipple , Curtis Adams / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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keyboardtek
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Having dry eye syndrome, I have removed the fan in my bedroom. I even would rather deal with heat and humidity than keep the air conditioning vent open. Any draft makes my eyes burn worse. In the winter I have to run a room humidifier.

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#12

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Not a professional and a little off topic but have you ever cleaned your steering wheel? My god, the stuff that shows up on a Lysol wipe...

sweatyone , Burak The Weekender / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Marcos Valencia
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course I've ever cleaned my steering wheel. Every time I clean (or take it to be clean, actually) the interiors and the dashboard.

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To make cleaning more efficient, Sergio recommends:

  1. Learning about the right cleaning products and how to use them.
  2. Cleaning consistently and focusing on one area/item at a time. This approach makes the task feel less overwhelming in the long run.
  3. Cleaning as you go. This prevents mess and grime from accumulating throughout your home.
  4. Not neglecting specific items. Tackling things like lamps, chandeliers, ceiling fans, air vents, and windows may not be a priority for some, but maintaining them is key to keeping a home truly pristine.

Hopefully, that helps!

#14

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Garbage disposal flaps, black mold under there. Dishwasher filters, grossest things ever.

lieslee , Meruyert Gonullu / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Jan Rosier
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How about, getting rid of these garbage disposals al together, and learn how to separate your trash?

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#15

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t This is for all the video gamers out there, please clean your gaming equipment.

* Get some disinfecting wipes and clean down your controllers.
* Clean your keyboard about twice a year, if you eat at your computer clean it once a month.
* Clean your mouse about twice a year.
* Disinfect your mouse and keyboard once a month, it will help you get sick less.
* Dust your electronics once a month, it will help keep them from overheating and last longer.
* Clean your headset once a month, your hair oil is slowly sticking to it and that allows it to grab dust, it gets really gross.
* At least once a year, remove your gaming electronics from their tables and shelves to dust and clean down the area.

I have found even the most crazy of clean freaks for some reason neglect their gaming equipment.

VersatileFaerie , ROMAN ODINTSOV / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#16

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t This will probably get buried, but I haven’t seen it. Clean out your cabinets people. Take everything thing out and wipe them down. You have no idea what you’re putting your “clean” dishes in...especially if you turn your cups upside down.

anon , Skylar Kang / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Ace
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Glass shelves are best - they show any mark so will remind you of their dirtiness every time you look at them.

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#17

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Unscrew and clean your faucet aerator. Especially if you live in a hard water area.

garliclord , Nithin PA / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Ace
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Limescale is a b***h. Most commercial cleaning fluids are not up to the job; dilute hydrochloric acid is your friend.

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#18

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Not a pro but the one that always gets neglected is the extractor fan hood over your cooker. There are filters on there that need replacing (or just cleaning depending on the type) and if you don’t after about 6-12 months they turn into a fire hazard because they get saturated with grease. If you put your hand onto the flat underside of your extractor hood and it feels greasy and gross, that’s because it is. Clean that s**t once in a while folks.

devlifedotnet , Max Vakhtbovycn / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#19

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t The fan heaters. I unplug mine and use a skinny crochet hook to yank the hair and dust out of ours.

I have seen one catch fire. Clean them, it's important.

ketodietclub , Blake Alexander / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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Groundcontroltomajortom
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I use a dust pan brush, take it outside and give it a good brush!! Gets all the dust out.

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#20

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Toilet brush and toilet brush holder. These just become a stew of poop particles if ignored.

anon , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#21

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Not a house cleaner but...

When my guy and I first started living together he didn’t understand that couches need cleaned! Underneath and inside. He will still try to get away with vacuuming and not moving the couch. We have two cats and a dog, it gets disgusting under there. One of the cats is a hoarder too and likes to hide things underneath so it’s always in our best interest to move the couch around to find her treasures.

smaugismyhomeboy , Lisa Fotios / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Corvus
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My couch gets cleaned from the inside by the cat, who uses it as an improvised lair. She seems to be interested in a career as a dust brush :P

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#22

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Does vacuum filter count? I’m a carpet laying apprentice and sometimes we use the customers vacuum to tidy up. Usually they’re a useless sack of s**t and you have to empty it and clean the filter, then they’re good as new.

activitygoat , cottonbro studio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#23

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t People who are busy but wonder how it looks different when I do it, the finishing touches they miss are polishing or wiping down their kitchen bin, kettles and other shiny things on their counters.
One job I struggle with is removing hair from a plug hole and as I rule, I don’t do it because i’ll spend the day heaving. People forget to clean their taps, door handles and light switches, yet they are probably the most used item.

Hmscaliostro , Lisa Fotios / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Lost Panda
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One good way to get hair out of the drains, take a wire hanger and break it down, then wrap a rubber band around one end. Stick it in the drain while wiggling it around, and it will bring out the hair. Repeat as necessary.

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#24

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Vacuum the tops of your curtains, they are a major source of dust! Also I’m not a pro cleaner I just like cleaning 🤷‍♀️.

anon , Jahns Chavez / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#25

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Your keyboard. The amount of hair and dry skin flakes that accumulate in there over time is pretty disturbing. Give yours a good shake and you'll see the mountain of repulsive substances.

HangryDutchess , Anete Lusina / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Corvus
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Argh, I still remember being a freshman in college and going ot the shared computer lab. I picked up a keyboard, turned it upside-down, and banged it slightly against the table. The amount of *stuff* that fell off from it was scary.

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#26

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Along the baseboards and corners while vacuuming.

LaceFace7 , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Upstaged75
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I clean the baseboards with my Swiffer mop. It's the perfect size.

#27

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Nobody had mentioned vacuuming the lint off the refrigerator coils. Pop the lower cover off, no tools needed, then use a brush and vacuum brush to take the hair and stuff off. Especially if you have pets. Your fridge will run less and last longer.

GooberMcNutly , Marlene Leppänen / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#28

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t I used to clean luxury apartments in the Upper East Side in college, and no matter how "clean" the apartments looks there were a few places people will often forget to clean

1- Microwaves
2-Behind the stove (yes, food falls down there) I once cleaned someone's stove and there was popcorn kernels from 2010!! This guy had a strict diet, so he was able to remember the last time he ate popcorn
3-Window blinds (the guy had white blinds, and with time dirt it looked yellow/dark white)
4-Behind the fridge and clean inside the fridge!!

I used to clean apartments from doctors & lawyers and their places would be dirty!! They would always be amazed how I was able to find "hidden" garbage.. They would always appreciate my work, and always gave me a tip or bonus.

sexylassy , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Groundcontroltomajortom
Community Member
1 week ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't get how people have such dirty microwaves!! Keep your food covered if possible and give it a good wipe down if there's potential food splatter (baked beans and soup are the worst culprits!)

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#29

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t The dish drying rack. I've never seen anyone with one that wasn't f*****g horrific looking.

tenmob , Liliana Drew / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#30

Professional House Cleaners Name 30 Things People Really Need To Clean In Their Home But Don’t Chef here. The filters in your air-condition and your vents gather a ton of dust and grime. Clean them for a better performing a/c

The waterlock under your sink. It can really fill up with some nasty a*s s**t if not emptied.

The bottom of cutlery drawers... No need to explain that one.

filipsnolips , Anabella Castro / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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