My team and I have been carrying out deep cleans for more years than I care to remember.
One thing I always emphasise to them is that there are certain areas which can be easily overlooked.
Here are the four top places that get overlooked during cleaning – make sure you get stuck into them when you are doing a deep clean or spring clean of your own!
1. Top of the fridge. Out of sight can be too often out of mind when cleaning and this applies to the top of your fridge and kitchen cupboards too. They can accumulate a large amount of dust and debris so prepare yourself with a dustpan and brush to sweep up the bulk of it. Follow up with a wipe down with a microfiber cloth.
2. Below kitchen cupboards. This is a likely spot for greasy residues to build up, as well as under your cooker hood. A kitchen towel will get rid of some of the worst of the gunk. Then use a sponge dipped in equal parts all-purpose surface cleaner and water to work away at the grease.
3. Hidden areas of carpets. By this I mainly mean those areas with heavy furniture on them. Make the effort to move the furniture and vacuum thoroughly. A good tip is to sprinkle a few drops of lavender essential oil on the area as this is a natural moth repellent. Make sure the area is completely dry before replacing the furniture.
4. Curtains. Your vacuum cleaner probably has an upholstery brush attachment and this is ideal for an initial vacuum. Then take the curtains down and soak overnight in clean cold water. Follow this with a hand wash in lukewarm water, using a detergent for delicate fabrics. It can be hard to wring out water from large curtains by hand, so use the slowest speed spin cycle on your washing machine after rinsing. Reshape the curtains as much as possible while damp. If they are made of a delicate fabric, dry as flat as possible. Otherwise, peg them out to dry using soft grip pegs. Curtains should be ironed when they’re still slightly damp. For very heavy fabrics or fabrics with a delicate, raised pile, such as velvet, use a handheld steamer to spruce them up instead of washing.