You have a set of daily tasks that are practically rote (just the way you want it); a weekly cleaning schedule that, if you keep up with it, keeps your house looking presentable almost all the time, and you can finish your spring cleaning like the best of them.

No habit or schedule or cleaning binge makes anybody perfect. (Not that you should be!) But everyone enjoys the squeaky clean feeling of getting the dust bunnies out from under the bed and the gotcha moments of vacuuming the crumbs from under the couch cushions. Isn’t it a bit enticing to think that there’s some uncharted territory waiting to be discover and made immaculate?

If you, like me, want to clean not necessarily more, but something new and satisfying, check out this list of things that rarely see the touch of a rag or bristle of a broom—and then change that.

In the Kitchen

Cabinet fronts.
The dishwasher. (The oven gets allllll the cleaning attention.)
The top of the refrigerator. It’s on every dusting list, but you’re probably only hitting it when you follow one of those lists.
The oven hood. Dust and dirt and grease, oh my.
The warming drawer of the oven.
Underneath appliances. You’ll be horrified at what’s collected under there.
The space between your counter and the stove. Wiggle a credit card through and prepare to be amaze-disgusted.
Drawers. They’re always full of stuff, so we may not realize how many crumbs have fallen into our kitchen drawers.
Back splashes. And their grout.
The wall behind the pet food bowls.
The coffee maker. You can’t see the build-up inside, but it’s there. Run a vinegar cycle through it.
The tea kettle. Same as above. Boil some vinegar water inside to remove build-up.

In Your Living Space

Fake plants. They might not die, but they still get dusty!
Candles. Dust seems to cling to wax. You can use pantyhose to wipe it off without damaging the candle.
Throw pillows. Read care labels, but most can be tossed in the wash.
The diffuser. You do not want to be diffusing mold or bacteria. Wash your unit with vinegar water weekly.
The TV screen.
The remote control. You bring disinfecting wipes to clean hotel remotes, but when was the last time you wiped yours?
The front door. It’s the first thing guests (and you!) see when you come home. Make it pretty.
Lamp bases. They get so dusty but they’re often easily missed because they’re a mostly vertical surface.
The sheepskin (or faux sheepskin) tossed over your chair.
Throw blankets. Wash ’em.
The vertical rungs of wooden dining chairs.
Bar stools.
Outdoor furniture.

Bed and Bath

Mattresses. You wash your sheets regularly; your mattress needs a refresh, too.
The shower curtain liner. It’s just a matter of tossing it in the wash.
Hairbrushes and combs.
Hair styling tools like curling irons and flat irons.
The loofah or shower scrubber.
Bath mats.

All Over the House

Picture frame glass.
The tops of picture frames.
The tops of door frames.
Window tracks. Do we forget or do we “forget”?
Table pedestals. So many crumbs. So much dust.
Chair rungs. And legs.
The trays used to corral kitchen items, coffee table trinkets, etc.
Light fixtures, especially over bathroom vanities.
The floor in coat closets, cleaning closets, regular closets, the pantry, etc.
Leather furniture and accessories. Even if it looks clean, it needs regular maintenance.
Ceiling fan blades. They’re easy to forget about until you reverse the blades and dust goes flying.
Doorknobs and light switches/plates. Even if no one has the flu, regular cleaning of these germy hot spots is a good idea.
Garbage cans and recycling bins.
Vent covers.
The walls in general.

Your Cleaning Supplies

Your Personal Effects

House keys.
Sunglasses.
Reading glasses.
Regular glasses.
Water bottles. We clean them but we forget to clean them as often as they should be cleaned.
The phone.
The entire laptop, including the screen, keyboard, outside.
Smart watches.
Jewelry. You won’t remember how sparkly your ring is until you remember to clean it.
Reusable shopping bags.

Dana Tyson

About Dana Tyson