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It’s nearly springtime, which means spring cleaning is just around the corner. This is the time of year those often-neglected areas of the house get a good scrub down or organization makeover. No matter how thorough you are in your cleaning endeavors, chances are, you’re still missing a few key things that should be cleaned at least once a year, whether it’s springtime or not. Let’s take a look at the top 10 things most people forget to clean!

Vacuum Behind the Fridge

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Most people know to clean out the inside of the fridge from time to time and get rid of old leftovers and/or expiring food. But when was the last time you pulled the fridge out and vacuumed? Or dusted the top off?

Not only is vacuuming and dusting your fridge a sanitary habit we should all fit into our cleaning routines, but it will actually help your appliance run smoother and work better. Dust, hair, and other things get trapped in the vents in the back of the fridge, so clearing all that gunk out improves the fridge’s overall performance.

Replace Dryer Vent

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According to USFA, 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean the dryer & vent accounts for 34% of clothes dryer fires.

With that in mind, this is probably the most important thing on the list to remember. Replacing your dryer vent (and lint trap!) is relatively easy. Check out this article on how to do it yourself!

Ceilings

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I go around periodically and dust the corners of the ceiling (usually when I see a spider web), but I haven’t cleaned my ceilings. I didn’t know that was an option, but now I’m ready to jump right in!

This doesn’t require standing on a step ladder and killing your back, which is wonderful news. You can simply get a long-handled sponge mop. Make a mixture of one cup of warm water, four to five drops of dish detergent, and two tablespoons of white vinegar, then dip your mop into it and get to scrubbing!

Also, make sure to dust off the ceiling fans! Some people have their fans spinning clockwise during the winter months to circulate warm air. If this is the case, remember to change the direction of your fans to spin counterclockwise to help circulate cold air!

Clean the Mattress

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You probably wash your sheets and comforter on a regular basis, but what about the mattress? You should not only flip your mattress every three months, but also run a vacuum to get all the little dirt and dust particles in the seams. You can also make a spray of hot water, a few drops of white vinegar, and your favorite essential oil to spray over the mattress to keep it fresh!

Baseboards

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Baseboards are easily forgotten until they become super dirty. To avoid this, dust periodically and then scrub with warm water and dish soap. Turn on all the lights to make sure you get everything in the nooks and crannies!

Door Frames & Knobs

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Here’s another often overlooked area of the house. We put our hands on so many doorknobs throughout the house, multiple times a day, but when was the last time you cleaned them? How about your door frames? It doesn’t take much to add this to your weekly cleaning routine. Simply clean them with a warm washcloth and a bit of dish soap. You can also wipe the doorknobs down with a disinfectant wipe.

Shower Curtain

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Most people scrub out their tub and shower on a regular basis, but what about the shower curtain? It gets just as grimy as the rest of the tub, but we hardly ever clean it. You should replace your shower liner every six months and clean the shower curtain itself at least once a month. You can easily clean it by throwing it in the wash with two towels. Add a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash cycle and a 1/2 cup white vinegar to the dryer cycle. Let the curtain air dry.

Air Ducts

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This is such an important one to do at least once a year! Your air ducts trap a ton of dust, lint, and even pollen – probably even more than you realize. Cleaning them out will not only provide safer, cleaner air for your home, but it will help keep the HVAC system running for longer.

This can be a big project that will probably take you longer than you think, but if you’re interested in doing it yourself, check out this article.