It’s obvious when you need to vacuum your living room rug or give your bathroom a good scrubbing. No doubt you already have a cleaning routine for these types of tasks.

After washing, sanitizing, and disinfecting what seems like every square inch of your home, you might think it’s spotless. However, your home could always be cleaner.

There are plenty of things you aren’t aware of that need to be cleaned. These are things you never would have guessed that required regular cleaning.

Cleaning the basics is hard enough, so I’m sure you won’t be happy to hear that there’s even more cleaning for you to do.

But once you learn what they are, you’ll definitely be ready to incorporate them into your cleaning routine. Here are five things you should be cleaning but probably aren’t.

Brooms And Mops

The tools you use for cleaning must also be cleaned if you want to avoid spreading more germs throughout your home. Brooms trap a lot of dirt and debris in their bristles, and mops get easily contaminated.

So take your broom outside, smack it against a wall to loosen the dirt caught in the bristles, rinse it in a bucket filled with warm, soapy water, and let it air-dry.

Wash mop heads in hot water and detergent. If your mop smells, soak it in vinegar to get rid of the odor. Don’t forget to wipe down your mop and broom handles with a disinfectant spray or wipes!

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Toothbrush Holders

Toothbrush holders are like a magnet for germs and bacteria. Scum and even mold can build up inside yours. Luckily, since most are made out of plastic, they’re super easy to clean.

Giving it a weekly wash by hand or in the dishwasher will eliminate any residue that has built up and make it as good as new.

Dishwasher

Just because a dishwasher is constantly in contact with soap and water doesn’t mean it’s automatically clean. Your dishwasher contains strainers and drains.

Over time, food particles and other debris will build up in them, causing your dishes to lose their shine and sparkle and gain an unpleasant odor. Additionally, the gunk will reduce the efficiency of your appliance.

To keep your dishwasher clean, scrub it with baking soda and run a cycle with just a cup of distilled vinegar at least once a month.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Think about all the different items you throw in your reusable bags every time you go grocery shopping: meat, eggs, produce, premade foods, and cleaning supplies.

There’s always the risk of cross-contamination occurring between your groceries. So throw your reusable shopping bags into the washing machine and run them on the gentle cycle.

Make sure to remove the bottom insert and turn the bags inside out so that every corner and crevice gets cleaned. Air-dry them, and bring them along as usual on your next trip to the grocery store.

Dryer Vents

You most likely already empty out your dryer’s lint trap after every load, but dryer care doesn’t stop there. Your dryer’s vents need to be cleared out, too.

When your dryer vents aren’t properly cleaned, a multitude of bad things can happen. Your clothes won’t be able to dry thoroughly, mold can grow, and the dryer might overheat and start a fire.

You can use a long-handled brush or a vacuum to remove debris from the vents. Do it at least a couple of times per year.

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