Things You’ve Probably Never Cleaned (but Really Should!)
Updated: Mar. 09, 2020Nobody likes cleaning, so there's often a focus on stuff you can see (or see through) – windows, floors, counters, etc. But lots of unseen things in your home also need regular cleaning to prevent more issues down the road. See what you're missing and learn how to really give your home a deep clean!
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Refrigerator
Spend 30 minutes on these simple maintenance steps to keep your fridge running in tip top shape. It's hard to believe, but six simple maintenance steps will prevent almost 100 percent of refrigerator breakdowns and eliminate those service calls. Take these steps and you can forget about spoiled food, lost time waiting for repair people and shelling out $70 an hour plus parts for the repair itself. In this story, we'll show you how to keep your fridge humming and trouble-free. And we'll also tell you what to check if a problem does occur.
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Inside Dryer and Dryer Vent
Built-up lint inside dryer cabinets causes more than 15,000 fires every year. Lint escapes through tiny gaps around the edges of the dryer drum and falls into the cabinet, especially when the exhaust vent or vent cap is clogged and airflow is restricted. The lint can get ignited by electric heating elements, gas burners or even a spark from the motor, and the flames then travel through the lint-lined exhaust vent. To make sure this doesn't happen in your house, check the exhaust vent and the inside of the cabinet frequently.
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Oven
Built-up spills and remnants of old food and liquids inside ovens can cause smoke and smell issues. It's important to clean up big spills as they happen, and make it a habit to put your oven through its cleaning cycle regularly. But when you're really trying to make your oven shine, you might need to go further. Learn how to clean between the glass panels of your oven door here.
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Deck
Exposed to the elements year-round, your deck does take a beating. Learn how to clean your deck properly and even give it a proper update (in less than eight hours).
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Air Conditioner
Air conditioners need annual cleaning and maintenance — spring is the perfect time to make sure your air conditioner is in good working condition. There are a few easy-to-clean items both inside the house and out at the condenser unit. Neglecting your air conditioner can cause much more hassle in time and money spent on repairs. Learn the proper way to clean your air conditioner here.
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Dishwasher
You'd think your dishwasher, post dishwashing, would already be clean. But you'd be wrong! Food bits find their way into all the nooks and crannies of your dishwasher, leading to bad smells and eventually, your dishes not getting clean. Learn how to thoroughly clean your dishwasher here.
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Garbage Disposal
Does your kitchen sink smell bad? Is it coming from your garbage disposal? Here's how to clean a garbage disposal and get rid of those disgusting odors. The key? Cleaning UNDER the splash guard.
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Car Cabin Filter
The air filter in your car cabin collects all kinds of debris. A clogged air filter can cause all kinds of problems, from issues defogging windows to reduced gas mileage. Most manufacturers recommend changing it every 15,000 miles or so. Learn how to do it here.
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Chimney
Regular cleaning with a shop vac and standard chimney cleaning tools will prevent dangerous creosote fires. Here's what you need to know before you get started.
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Faucet Aerators
Aerators are found on almost every kitchen and bath faucet, and if water flow slows or becomes uneven, clogs inside the aerator are usually the cause. Fortunately it's an easy problem to fix. If you spot rust on your chrome faucet, check out how to clean rust from chrome bathroom fittings.
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Vinyl Siding
Though vinyl siding tends to stay fairly clean, occasionally you'll develop harder to clean stains that need more than just a quick spray from your hose or pressure washer. Learn how to give your siding a deep clean and really make your house shine.
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Soffit Vents
Blow out debris from your soffit vents to maintain good attic ventilation. It'll save on air conditioning costs in summer and protect your roof from condensation in winter. Learn the best way to clean soffit vents here.
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Clean Window Weep Holes or Invite Rainwater Into Your House
Many sliding windows and vinyl replacement windows have weep holes on the exterior bottom of the frame. These holes are designed to drain away rainwater that can collect in the frame's bottom channel. Weep holes can get plugged with bugs and debris, and if that happens, water could fill up the channel and spill over into your house.
To see if your weep system is working, simply pour a glass of water into the track or spray the outside of the window with a garden hose. If you don't see a steady stream of clean water exiting the weep hole, poke a wire hanger into the hole, or spray it out with compressed air, and wet it down again. If the little flapper (designed to keep out driving wind) is stuck shut, it can be removed with a putty knife and replaced.
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Mattress
Despite being covered with sheets and a mattress cover, your mattress still gets dirty. It's a good idea to periodically vacuum it and spot clean any stains that may appear. Airing it out outdoors in the sunshine for a few hours can also do wonders for removing any lingering musty smells. Does your mattress have a bigger problem? Learn how to get stains out of a mattress.
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Door Knobs
We all have them, and we all touch them. But when was the last time you cleaned your door knobs? It only takes a few minutes to kill any lingering germs (use a bleach-based cleaner) — just be careful not to get any on wood doors or trim, because it could affect the finish.
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HVAC Condensate Line
When you see water puddling around the furnace with the A/C running, you have a clogged condensate drain tube. Condensation from air conditioning coils contains bacteria that can form slime and clog the condensate pan drain tube. You can prevent slime and eliminate drain tube clogs in two easy steps.
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Bath Fan Grill
Household dust, moisture and humidity combine to cake bathroom exhaust fans with debris. Often located on the ceiling, you may not notice it's even dirty. Luckily, bath fan grills are easy to clean. Grab the edge of the cover and pull down. Squeeze the springs to release them from the slots and remove the cover. Learn more about installing and replacing bath exhaust fans here. Check out our thorough guide for cleaning a bathroom exhaust fan here.
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Check Your Water Heater
Extend the life of your water heater tank and maintain your water heater's efficiency and safety with a few minutes of basic maintenance once a year. Learn how to clean sediment from your water heater here.
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Outdoor Lights
Like anything that lives outdoors, your outdoor light fixtures get dirty. Get in the habit of cleaning and inspecting your outdoor lights once a year, especially checking for any pest nests. The heat provided by outdoor lights makes an ideal environment for mice and other rodents.
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Inside Closets
Because floors are often covered with stored items, and clothes block access to the walls, closet cleaning is often neglected. But who wants to put clean clothes in a dirty closet? Once a year (or once a season) make it a point to wipe down/dust walls, trim and shelves in your closet and give it a good vacuum.
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Garage Floor
Your garage floor is bound to get dirty, but if you haven't swept or washed it in years, it's time to clean it. Not only will your garage feel cleaner, you'll remove all kinds of nasty stuff (rocks, salt, dirt and more) that you might otherwise end up tracking into your house. Do you have concrete stains that are more than skin deep? Learn how to remove oil, paint and other concrete stains here.
Originally Published: March 14, 2017