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When it comes to cleaning, it’s easy to tidy up the obvious – counters, floors, door handles – yet these locations are only half of the battle. Surprisingly some of the dirtiest places are in plain sight and you probably haven’t cleaned them in quite a while. Next time you whip out the energy and cleaning supplies to tackle a clean sweep of your place, don’t forget to spruce up these six untouched dirty household areas.

Ceiling Fan

Via: Flickr

Ceiling fans are one of those things we have to have but hate to clean, but once you do a dusting, you’ll be grossed out to find how dirty it really gets. Even if you’re not using the ceiling fan, the entire machine is a perfect spot for free-flying dust to collect and pile up. When you start using a ceiling fan, the dirt only increases because the previous stuck-on dirt acts like tape, latching onto new dust. To make cleaning a breeze, lay a flat bed sheet below the fan, that way the dust falls onto the sheet and not your furniture.

Utensil Drawer

Via: Wiki Commons

Looking at a utensil drawer, with its cornucopia of doodads and gadgets, I immediately ignore cleaning the drawer. Honestly, who wants to take out all of those pieces of silverware and then put them all back in (not me), however it’s definitely worth cleaning this spot in the house. When we are cooking or baking, we reach into a drawer with dirty hands to pull out a utensil, meaning that we leave some leftover food behind in the drawer itself. With all of these crumbs, it’s only a matter of time before we attract unwanted critters. To clean the drawer thoroughly pull out the utensils and clean out the drawer and divider. If crumbs are stuck in the corners of the drawer and the divider, use a toothpick to dislodge the sediment.

Garbage Can

Via: Flickr

The garbage can is probably one of the most used items in the kitchen; we throw out paper, food, debris, and dirt into this tiny vessel without a moment of thought. Sure we switch out the bag, but that doesn’t keep the garbage can itself clean. Food juices always leak out of the bag and into the garbage can, creating a slimy grimy mess down below so next time you switch the bag, opt to clean the inside of the can itself along with the rim and the lid.

Internet Modem and Router

Via: Flickr

Once installed, the internet modem and router are forgotten, and it’s easy to see why these things aren’t cleaned. Most modems or routers are set up discreetly, hidden snugly between the wall and furniture, which are already places for dusty and dirt to accumulate. Use a dryer sheet to thoroughly remove the dust, as the fibers in the dryer sheets pick up dust without leaving any particulates behind.

Bathroom Air Vent

Via: Wiki Commons

If you powder your nose or fix your hairdo in the bathroom, listen up, all that residual powder and spray don’t just disappear into thin air. The moisture from a steamy shower blend this leftover makeup and hair product, resulting in a thick tacky paste blocking your air vent. If you can’t unscrew the vent completely (some vents are stuck in there for good), use dry cotton swabs to clean out the caked-on sediment. Once the majority of the nastiness is removed, clean the grooves of the vent with cotton swabs sprayed with a liquid cleaner.

Toothbrush Holder

Via Wiki Commons

The toothbrush holder isn’t just covered with water, it’s actually a petri dish for other nasty things like particles of saliva and crusty bits of toothpaste. If the toothbrush holder has hard-to-reach places, first opt to soak it in some hot soapy water and then clean the crevices with cotton swabs.

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