All The Things You’re Forgetting To Spring Clean
Spring cleaning feels good…until you realize you’ve only scratched the surface. Wiping down windows and scrubbing the floors is a strong start, but there’s a whole list of overlooked areas quietly collecting dust, grime, and clutter. If you’ve wondered why things still feel “off” after a full clean, this might be why. Here are the spots that often go ignored when spring cleaning.
1. The Inside of Your Washer and Dryer
It might sound strange to clean your cleaning machines, but they collect buildup just like everything else. Detergent residue, lint, and even mold can sit inside, especially in the rubber seals and vent areas. Over time, that grime can lead to bad smells, poor performance, or even damage to your appliance. Wipe down the inside drum, run a clean cycle with vinegar or a washer cleaner, and empty the dryer vent and lint trap housing. Your laundry will smell better and your machines will thank you.
2. Light Switches, Handles, and Remote Controls
These are the things you touch daily but almost never clean. Switches, remotes, cabinet handles, and doorknobs quietly gather oils from hands, dust, and bacteria. During cold and allergy season especially, these high-touch areas are a huge germ-collecting zone. A simple wipe with a disinfecting cloth takes care of it in seconds. Don’t forget drawer pulls, fridge handles, and even the garage door opener! Anything you and your family gets their hands on a lot.
3. Your Reusable Bags, Purses, and Backpacks
We throw them in the car, set them on floors, shove them in closets, and reuse them again and again, but how often are you actually washing or wiping them down? Bags and purses pick up bacteria, dirt, and sometimes even food spills. Empty them out fully, check all pockets, toss the washable ones in the laundry, and wipe down the rest. It’s a quick job that gets rid of mico-messes you carry around without realizing it.
4. Under the Sink (All of Them)
Kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, it doesn’t matter which one. The space under the sink tends to be a messy catch-all. There’s often half-used cleaning bottles, old sponges, fallen trash, maybe even a leak that went unnoticed. Take everything out. Toss what’s expired or empty. Wipe down the base, check for mold or moisture, and reorganize. These little cleanouts save you from bigger problems down the road.
5. Your Pet’s Stuff
Pet bowls, leashes, toys, carriers, and beds can all get pretty gross, pretty fast. They pick up fur, drool, dirt, and odors, but they rarely make the cleaning list. Wash bowls a few times a week if you can, toss fabric items into the wash, and scrub plastic toys and carriers with soap and water. It’s good for your pet’s health and yours! Pet messes can be pretty gross once they build up, so a deep clean once or twice a season will keep everything feeling fresh.
6. The Air You’re Breathing
We often don’t consider the very air we breathe as something that can be cleaned, but dirty filters, dusty vents, and stale air can hang around long after winter ends. Replace HVAC or furnace filters, dust ceiling fans and vent covers, and open windows when you can to let stale air out. Even just wiping down your fans before turning them on will keep dust from blowing around. If you use a humidifier or air purifier, clean or replace those filters too. You’ll feel the difference almost right away!
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- How to Get Rid of That Musty Smell in Your Washing Machine
- 5 Hacks for Preventing a Sink from Becoming Stinky
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to mean scrubbing everything all at once, but the smaller jobs you tend to forget? They’re often the ones that bring the most relief when they’re finally done. These quiet messes build up in the background and keep your home from ever feeling fully clean, even when everything looks okay on the surface. Take your time, go area by area, and knock out the forgotten stuff. It’ll make home feel more like home again.
Daniel Mitchell
