20 little things everyone forgets to clean – but shouldn’t

We’re all doing our best to keep our homes clean these days. However, there are things even the most experienced cleaner can forget to clean. For example, did you know that your keyboards are a hotbed of bacteria? Or when was the last time you cleaned your shower curtain? To make sure your house is as clean as it can be, here are the 20 little things everyone forgets to clean.

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Your fridge could make you sick if you don’t clean it every once in a while. NSF International swabbed 20 kitchens as part of its 2013 Household Germ Study, and two of the germiest places were the vegetable and meat compartments in refrigerators. First, unplug the fridge and empty it out. Toss old containers and expired food, and wipe everything down with multipurpose spray. Soak drawers in warm water and scrub them clean with dish soap.

Check out these foods you shouldn’t put in the fridge.

Yes, you can place down and fibrefill pillows in the washing machine. Wash two at a time following the instructions on the care label. Otherwise, warm water on a gentle cycle will do the trick. The same settings work for your comforter (which can also use a washing).

Here are 16 things you never knew you could put in the washing machine.

It’s easy to tell when your windows are dirty, but windowsills and tracks often go unnoticed. Dust away any loose dirt and dead bugs (or use a vacuum with a brush attachment). Use a spray bottle of white vinegar to spray the area and let it sit for a minute. Wipe with paper towels and use Q-Tips for those hard-to-reach areas.

Read on for some dumb cleaning habits to avoid.

It’s probably a good idea to keep the places you store all your food and dishes clean, right? Empty them out (preferably one at a time to avoid unnecessary clutter), toss expired food, and wipe everything down. Before returning everything to its rightful place, see if there’s any dishware you haven’t used all year. It would probably be better off donated.

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Make sure your outdoor furniture looks good as new before you start using it – nobody wants to sit on a dirty seat, or worse, a spider!

Organising your garage is just as important as actually cleaning it. You’d be amazed how much stuff accumulates in there over time – and how much you actually don’t need.

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Soap scum and mildew stains are haunting your shower curtain, but it doesn’t take long to clean them.

Find out the best ways to clean showers and baths.

You use them almost every day, probably without thinking of how many times you touch them and how few times you’ve actually cleaned them. One in 10 bank cards were contaminated with faecal matter, according to a 2012 study. Wipe the card with a damp cloth or anti-bacterial wipe, then gently scrub the magnetic strip with an eraser.

Keys are another item you use daily, so they can definitely use a wash. To keep them clean and prevent rust, scrub with lemon and salt and rinse with dish soap. If they’re already rusty, soak them in a vinegar and water mixture for 20 minutes, rinse, then put them back in for another 30 minutes. This ensures the rust comes out completely.