It’s October, which means guests will soon be filling our homes for Halloween parties and Thanksgiving dinners. It’s a busy season—decorating, entertaining, hosting and lots of cooking. But before it gets chaotic, it’s a good idea to give your home a thorough cleaning. This way you won’t have to go into lengthy explaining when your aunt reaches for a vase on the top shelf and gets attacked by a a herd of dust bunnies. Besides, having a clean house during the busy Holiday Season makes everything go smoother. We all know to vacuum the carpets and wipe down counter tops, and our Carroll County deep cleaning services are very popular this time of year. But today, let’s talk about some of the inconspicuous places (and items) in your home that don’t get cleaned often enough.
On Top of the Cabinets
If your kitchen cabinets or media room built-ins don’t extend all the way to the ceiling, you end up with this awkward gap. Too high up to store anything useful, the top of the cabinets often serves as a shelf for displaying pieces of décor that didn’t fit anywhere else. Or it may house plastic containers with unknown contents, which are no longer see-through due to a layer of dust. Out of sight and out of mind, the top of the cabinets can be covered in a layer of greasy residue from cooking, dust and rodent droppings if you have a pest problem. If items on top of your cabinets look fuzzy, it might be time to vacuum up all the debris and wipe these surfaces clean.
Inside the Fridge
When your cousin Lauren troubles you for a drink, you direct her to the fridge to grab a soda and—oh no—you forgot to clean it! To avoid this unpleasant situation, declutter and clean your fridge before the holidays. Throw away everything that is past expiration date or looks like none of your family members will ever eat it. That jar of sauerkraut sitting in the back of the fridge since last year should probably go. Once your fridge is empty, wipe it down on the inside. If the drawers look too dirty, take them out and wash separately. Don’t forget to vacuum underneath the fridge to help it ventilate and improve its energy efficiency. And give the outside a quick wiping as well, especially the handle.
Salt & Pepper Shakers
Unlike your fridge or the top of the cabinets, salt and pepper shakers may not be visibly dirty. However, because they get touched by many (not always clean) hands multiple times a day, they may become covered in germs. Be sure to wipe salt and pepper shakers down before and after every holiday party, especially if any of the guests or family members look like they could be coming down with a cold.
Pet Toys
It’s one thing if Fluffy brings a bright yellow tennis ball to get your guests to play with him. But what if he drags out an old, dirty squirrel hand puppet that hasn’t seen the inside of a washer in many years, maybe even ever? According to the 2011 germ study by NSF International, pet toys and pet food bowls are #7 and #4 dirtiest items in a home. Both of these items were found to harbor staph infection in 14 to 20 percent of studied households. Be sure to rinse rubber toys regularly and wash all fabric toys in hot water. Covered in pet’s saliva and constantly carried from room to room, pet toys collect all possible dust, dirt and germs throughout your home. Don’t forget to clean the pet toy bin as well, even though toys don’t seem to stay there long.
Windows
Let’s say your friend Jenny gets a call and goes to the quiet corner by the window to answer. She starts talking and subconsciously tracing her finger along the glass and window sill, drawing patterns… in dust! Windows are often forgotten during a regular cleaning routine. Even if you decide to skip washing the outside, at least make sure to wipe them indoors. And don’t forget about your front door—if it has a window, clean it as well. Clean windows will let through more sunshine, which is a limited commodity during the winter months.
Need help getting your home ready for the Holiday Season? Awarded Carroll County’s Best Home Cleaning Service five years in a row, Immaculate Clean is a Maryland cleaning company you can trust when it comes to keeping your home sparkling clean.
Contact us today to talk about how we can help you worry less about cleaning and enjoy life more!
