Carpets and hard floors aren’t the only places that need vacuuming! Here are 13 other areas you’re probably forgetting to vacuum.
Vacuuming is one of the fastest ways to make your home feel clean and fresh. It also reduces dust, pet dander, and other airborne allergens in the home, which is great for people with allergies.
While most people vacuum their floors, it’s easy to neglect other areas. This allows dust and dirt to build up, making your home feel less clean. Here are 13 of the most common examples of places you’re forgetting to vacuum.
1. Mattresses
Sheets don’t prevent dirt, dust, and other particles from building up on a mattress, so it’s important to vacuum it at least once per month.
This tip is particularly important if you suffer from breathing issues or allergies (such as a dust mite allergy.) Vacuuming your mattress could reduce the chance of allergic reactions and help you get a better night’s sleep.
2. Inside Drawers
Dust and other debris builds up in drawers, which can make your clothes look dirty even after they’ve been washed. Kitchen drawers are often even worse than clothes drawers, as crumbs and other bits of food can easily fall inside while you’re cooking.
There’s no need to vacuum drawers weekly, but you should clean them at least a few times each year (or whenever necessary.) If you’re worried about picking up a loose piece of jewellery or other item, stretch a pair of tights over your vacuum’s hose before you start.
3. Window Blinds
Blinds are one of the worst places to allow dust to build up, as opening the window will cause it to be blown around the room. If you suffer from allergies, this could make your symptoms worse.
We recommend using your vacuum’s soft dusting brush for cleaning blinds. The soft bristles should prevent scratching, while still getting rid of dust and other particles. If you don’t have a soft dusting brush, some people also use a crevice tool – but be careful that it doesn’t leave marks!
4. Brooms
If you use a broom to clean your home, it’s probably clogged with grime, dirt, and crumbs. A vacuum cleaner can quickly remove the majority of this debris from your broom’s bristles, so you aren’t just spreading dirt around your home.
5. Skirting Boards
Many vacuums struggle with edge cleaning. Over time, this means dust, hair, and dirt accumulates along the bottom of skirting boards.
To prevent this, make sure you use an appropriate vacuum tool to clean right up to the edge of skirting boards. You don’t need to clean here every time you vacuum, but make sure you still clean it regularly.
Tip: Make sure you use a vacuum tool that won’t mark the skirting boards. Some vacuums have crevice tools that are particularly bad for leaving marks.
6. Computer Keyboards
Keyboards can quickly become filled with crumbs, dirt, and other debris – particularly if you often eat lunch at your computer! While wiping your keyboard with an antibacterial wipe can help with hygiene, this won’t remove anything that’s fallen between the keys.
Instead, use your vacuum’s soft dusting brush to pick up anything that you can’t reach with a cloth. A handheld vacuum can be useful for this. Be gentle though – you don’t want to damage the electronics underneath each key.
7. Sofas
Over time, sofas can become covered in grit, dust, and dirt. And if you have pets, there’s also likely to be a layer of hair too.
This doesn’t just affect your sofa’s appearance. Whenever you sit on grime or dirt, it becomes ground into the fibres, which can cause wearing.
For this reason, it’s important to vacuum your sofas. Make sure you clean both sides of any cushions and use your crevice tool to get into deeper cracks.
8. Pet Beds
Pet beds are a magnet for hair, dirt, grime, and even parasites like ticks. Unfortunately, many people vacuum underneath and around pet beds, but not the beds themselves!
Make sure you vacuum all pet beds regularly – even if your dog or cat isn’t a heavy shedder. It’s best to use a pet vacuum with a turbo tool for this. But if your vacuum doesn’t include this type of accessory, then a regular upholstery brush can often do the job.
9. Underneath Beds and Other Furniture
It’s easy to forget to clean under beds, sofas, and other furniture. These areas quickly become reservoirs for dirt, hair, and other particles, so it’s important to vacuum them regularly.
Some vacuums make cleaning under furniture easier than others. If you’re looking for a model that’s designed for this type of cleaning, a Shark model with a Flexology stick is a good option. Alternatively, try to choose a vacuum that has a low-profile floorhead and can lay down close to horizontal.
Other Areas You Might be Forgetting to Vacuum
- Window sills. As with blinds, it’s important to keep these clean so allergens aren’t blown around the room when you open a window. Make sure you use a soft dusting brush to prevent scratching.
- Behind and under your fridge. Most people like to pretend this area of the home doesn’t exist, as it’s often filled with dirt, grime, and other debris! Use the crevice tool to clean both underneath and behind your fridge (but be careful when doing so.)
- Carpeted stairs. Most people give their stairs a quick clean, but are you making sure to clean the entire step? Use the crevice tool to get into the edges and a pet turbo tool for both the flat and upright parts of each step. You may want to look at our guide to stair vacuums too.
- Light shades. Similarly to blinds, light shades quickly become covered in dust. Use the soft dusting brush and be careful not to damage the shade material.
Summary
Vacuum cleaners aren’t just for cleaning floors. They are a brilliant tool for removing dust and grime from pretty much everywhere in your home.
It’s important to use the right vacuum cleaner tools when cleaning the places listed in this article though. The wrong tool could cause damage or marks, so be careful when cleaning.