10 Best Carpet Cleaner For Deep Stains

But no matter how thoroughly we clean, there are a few areas that people often overlook when deep cleaning. Having been a cleaning woman myself back in college, these overlooked areas usually were so obvious that it surprised me. Here's the round up of 10 areas that homeowners usually miss but your guests won't.

1. The telephone. When is the last time you washed the telephone? Telephones (both portable and fixed) attract grime which can leave unsightly black smudges on the buttons and cord. A wipe down with a mild ammonia solution will cut the grease and leave the phone looking new.

2. Top of the refrigerator. People who are 5'7" or shorter never remember to wipe down the top of the refrigerator when cleaning the kitchen. Those of us who are taller than 5'8" can't help but notice the accumulation of dust found in this area.

3. Ceiling fixtures. While fancy chandelier or pendant light fixtures usually see a scrubbing during spring cleaning, it's those plain old bedroom shades that tend to get ignored. To clean, remove the glass shade by unscrewing the knobs that attach the shade to the fixture. Carefully wash the shade in warm, soapy water then rinse.

4. Top of the curtain rods. These areas also attract dust and cobwebs. To clean, open up the drapes and wipe down the rod with a mild ammonia solution.

5. Corners of the bathroom or kitchen mop boards. Mops only go so far when it comes to cleaning a floor and can't reach into the tight corners of mop board. Over time, these corners see a heavy buildup of dust amp; floor wax which detract from an otherwise sparkling floor. To deep clean the mop board corners, use a toothbrush dipped in a strong ammonia solution.

6. Tops of your CD amp; DVD library or books. Wiping down book and media shelves are probably part of your normal routine already, but dusting the tops of the items stored here is a cleaning task that is often overlooked.

7. Ceiling fan paddles. The paddles of ceiling fans are dust magnets and often overlooked when cleaning house. Wiping down the blades with a damp cloth should be included in your deep cleaning routine. If the fans are used a lot, they should be dusted at least once a month.

8. The tops of shower curtain rods. We all know that deep cleaning a bathroom includes washing the shower curtains, liners, and even the hooks but when was the last time you cleaned the rod itself? Metal shower curtain rods accumulate unsightly burnish marks that can make them look older than they are. To clean, use a metal polish or vinegar and plenty of elbow grease,

9. Window tracks. Just because a window is closed doesn't mean that dirt and dust stays outside. Window tracks are notorious dust and grime collectors and should be cleaned as regularly as the window panes themselves. To clean the tracks, I use a toothbrush and a spray bottle mixed up with hot soapy water.

10. Around the interior seal of the dishwasher. You wouldn't think that a dishwasher would get dirty, but it does. Areas that aren't hit by agitating water are the plastic panels adjacent to the seals on both the door and the interior of the unit. These areas catch all sorts of food spills which look just plain nasty. To clean, use a toothbrush and hot soapy water.

More by this contributor:
How to Organize your Household Cleaning Supplies
A Cleaning Checklist for the Kitchen
How to Make Great Cleaning Rags