The 8 Places You’re Forgetting to Clean in Your Apartment
You read pretty blogs about crafty home decor ideas and ways to be elegantly organized. But your real life is not always true to that Pinterest-board fantasy. (Don’t lie to us: You forgot to do your laundry on time this week). You could probably use a little help, especially if you’re planning on hosting friends + loved ones at your place this holiday season.
1.Base boards: This art of your home accumulates dust bunnies, hair and gross grime. Don’t just clean your floor; Luis says to go beyond the four corners of your apartment and get those base boards too.
2.Window sills + blinds: You might have a lovely view, but you probably don’t think about cleaning here too often. But “the dust that accumulates there tends to exacerbate symptoms related to asthma and allergies. specially if you have pets,” says Luis. So, dust bunnies, right? (Ew.) Wipe down these areas ASAP.
3. Light fixtures: You get bonus points if you wipe down the dust you’re basically circulating through the air every time you turn on that ceiling fan. The electricity around your lights is attracting dust and even insects. So don’t forget about them!
4. Under the bed (dun dundun):“Not many people clean there. When we go into our houses, we usually have lots of things under the bed besides dust,” says Luis. “We find jewelry, underwear…” and other unmentionables, he added. Does this sound like you? (Guilty.)
5. Below + around the toiletbowl:This area should be disinfected often, as it can be a breeding ground for E. coli, as well as odor. Beware.
6. Shower + bathroomtiles: Mildew is just not cute. But the strong smell of products that turn tiles white + bright can be a deterrent to scrub-a-dub-dubbing. If you’re into green products or you don’t want to use bleach, Luis recommends using Better Life Kitchen & Bath Scrubber ($8) in the bathroom and beyond. “It works wonders in the kitchen and as an oven cleaner, and it works on mildew.”
7. Under theOven:You might be making lovely baked goods each weekend. But to be a real domestic goddess, you’ll have to double check for burnt food and grease after you check that your souffle rose.
8. Shower Curtains: They are surrounded by moisture constantly, but don’t just think they’ll air dry and be done — far from it. To keep the bad stuff at bay, wash your shower curtains with bleach and hot water to distinfect. Do the same for shower mats too.
Of course, smaller spaces can be easier to manage, but Luis offers this bonus tip if you’re new to a large space or really busy: “Do the same as when you go to the gym. Monday is kitchen day, Tuesday is bathroom day, Wednesday is living room day, Thursday is bedroom day, Friday is floors day, etc.” Think of yourself as a cleaning bodybuilder. Whoa, cleaning your apartment just got really sexy.
Where do you forget to clean? Give us your tips in the comments below!
