10 Jul 2025 6 Overlooked Spots You Forget to Clean Each Week — And How to Tackle Them Like a Pro

See the full article in The Spruce

By Sarah Lyon

Key Takeaways:

• Clean hidden and high-touch spots: under appliances, trash cans, light switches, etc.
• Dust areas such as door tops and picture frames using extendable dusters.
• Freshen soft surfaces and declutter entryways, upholstery, and pet beds.

It can be difficult to tackle a comprehensive clean on the regular when your time at home is also filled with work tasks, childcare, get-togethers with friends, and more. Simply carving out an afternoon to complete the basic essentials like changing the sheets, running a few loads of laundry, and emptying the dishwasher often feels like a major achievement.

However, if you do have a free hour or so, make the most of it by checking off some forgotten but crucial cleaning off your list. Here, two cleaning pros chime in regarding six small tasks that you may have been neglecting but will greatly improve the state of your home.

Under and Behind Small Kitchen Appliances

While you’re probably wiping down your countertops every day, how often are you lifting up your toaster, coffee maker, air fryer, and the like and wiping down the areas where they sit?

“The crumbs, grinds, splatter, and stickiness love to lurk here,” Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer at Maid Brigade, White Plains, says.

However, the process for refreshing this area is pretty simple, she notes. All you have to do is unplug your appliances and set them elsewhere, and then wipe down the area using a wipe and some all-purpose cleaner. If you encounter stains that are a bit more resistant, Murphy recommends reaching for a scrub pad.

Once you’ve tackled the countertop area, Murphy suggests also wiping down the bottom of each actual appliance and taking a minute to empty your toaster tray, too.