Bob Vila Radio: 3 Hidden Spots That It Pays to Keep Clean
It'd be easy to ignore these out-of-the-way corners of the home. In fact, many people do—despite the fact that even beyond health and aesthetics, there are practical, money-saving reasons to keep each one clean. Keep reading for details.
We all want our homes to be comfortable and inviting. Unfortunately, if you don’t clean often or comprehensively enough, it’s tough for your home to be either of those things.
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Listen to BOB VILA ON PLACES YOU’RE FORGETTING TO CLEAN or read below:
Bear in mind that some areas of the home are commonly forgotten, even by those who consider themselves to be diligent housekeepers. Adding these ‘blind spots’ to your routine can help keep your family healthier and your appliances working longer.
First things first: Get inside any HVAC vents you may have in your home. Over time, these grilled registers inevitably collect dust, hair, and dirt—and the longer you ignore the issue, the greater the likelihood of accumulated particles recirculating back into the air you breathe via the heating and cooling system.
Next up: Dive into your closets. Believe it or not, clothing fibers contribute substantially to household dust problems—and dust doesn’t exactly benefit a wardrobe. When you vacuum the rest of the house, make it a point to vacuum the floor in each closet too. Then once or twice a year, remove all closet contents and wipe down shelves and other surfaces with a damp rag.
Finally, the refrigerator—specifically, the refrigerant coils on the back or underside of the unit. Vacuum these coils once a month. Two or three times a year, go a step further and wipe them down with a damp rag. It may not sound like much, but doing so helps maximize the fridge’s lifespan, while minimizing the cost to operate it.
Bob Vila Radio is a 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day carried on more than 186 stations in 75 markets around the country. Click here to subscribe, so you can automatically receive each new episode as it arrives—absolutely free!
