7 Spots in Your Home You’re Probably Forgetting to Clean

Keeping a home completely spotless at all times is impossible, but there are plenty of ways to minimize the buildup of dust, debris, and germs—so long as you know where to clean, that is. Some spots are easy to overlook even if you have an established cleaning routine, which is why Mental Floss and Roborock have teamed up to highlight seven surprising spots in your home that you’re probably forgetting to clean, alongside tips you can use to make sure they’re sparkling.

1. Ceilings and Crown Molding

If you haven’t already, consider this your sign to clean your ceilings and crown molding, where you may find dust, dirt, and cobwebs. Fortunately, doing so requires minimal effort, especially if you have a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and/or dust attachment. (Bathroom ceilings, which are prone to mold growth thanks to the humidity and poor ventilation, may require extra TLC, though.) Just remember that working from top to bottom is a fundamental principle of cleaning since dirt and debris fall from above, so avoid extra work by cleaning your ceiling first.

2. Tops of Doorways and Cabinets

Just as ceilings and crown moldings are often ignored when it comes to cleaning, so are the tops of doorways and cabinets, both of which can accumulate a hefty amount of dust or grime. You can tackle the mess with your vacuum’s dust brush—though if the surfaces you’re cleaning are in the kitchen, you’ll likely need to remove dust and grease with a degreasing spray and a soft cloth.

3. Vents

If your air conditioning isn’t working very well, it might be because the vents are riddled with dirt, dust, and debris. Fortunately, vents are pretty easy to clean. After you’ve turned off your HVAC, remove the vent covers and wipe them down with a damp microfiber cloth. (Bonus points if you follow this up with a hefty scrub and warm, soapy water.) Once dried, use the crevice tool of your vacuum cleaner to remove any visible dust before going in with the brush attachment.

4. Door Handles and Light Switches

High-touch surfaces like door handles and light switches are teeming with bacteria and viruses—and yet many folks forget them when cleaning, which leads to the spread of germs both in and outside of the home. It’s a good idea to clean these surfaces at least every few days, though you should consider doing so more often if you have small children or frequent visitors. A simple disinfectant wipe will do the trick, as will a wet rag coupled with your favorite all-purpose cleaner.

5. Walls and Baseboards

Dust and grime can accumulate on walls—especially textured wallpaper—just as they do on anything else, which can be a problem if you’re prone to respiratory issues or allergies. You can get dust off the walls by using a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment, working your way from top to bottom, before tackling the baseboards with the crevice attachment. Finally, wipe down the baseboards with a damp cloth; this is especially important in rooms with a lot of humidity, like the kitchen and the bathroom.  

6. Underneath Your Furniture/Appliances

Regularly cleaning your furniture and appliances? Great! How about underneath them, where dust bunnies, dirt, grime, and cobwebs can quickly accumulate? Make sure to hit these areas every two to three weeks with your vacuum to avoid excess buildup (and don’t forget to flip over the furniture itself—whether it’s a chair or a bedframe—to see what dust is clinging to it and wipe that up, too). 

If you find yourself frequently forgetting to clean the areas under your furniture, you might want to consider getting a robot vacuum (like the Qrevo Pro vacuum with its dual-mopping system and flexi-arm design) that you can program to automatically tackle those areas at a time that’s convenient to you. And even if you don’t often forget those areas, it’s a huge time saver to have the robot vacuum do that part of the cleaning while you move on to something else. 

 7. Under Your Couch Cushions

What’s underneath your couch cushions might be out of sight, out of mind—but there’s a whole world of dirt, dust, debris, pet hair, and food crumbs under there (yuck). If you have pets or children at home, it’s a good idea to vacuum the cushions at least once a week, if not more. The crevice tool comes in handy for this task since it allows you to clean hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, including corners and seams. Stains can be spot-treated, and cushions should be deep-cleaned approximately every six months. 

Get the satisfaction of a deep-clean without the sweat and hard work with Roborock’s new Qrevo Pro. It’s equipped with obstacle avoidance technology for a worry-free clean, and its FlexiArm Design Edge Mopping System easily cleans edges and other hard-to-reach areas. The Qrevo Pro uses dual spinning mops and water heated to 140 degrees to ensure your floors are clean and disinfected; plus, its intelligent dirt detection lets it know when to give the mops themselves a good clean. The Qrevo Pro normally retails for $999.99, but you can find it on Roborock’s website and Amazon for 20 percent off (a $200 discount) from July 1 to July 7, and for 30 percent off (a $300 discount) from July 8 to 20.