The 7 Often Forgotten Things I Deep Clean in My Home and Why You Should, Too

You may not think about certain areas to clean when you're deep cleaning your entire home. If you don't have a list written out before starting, you may find it challenging to track where you're supposed to go next. Try to remember the less-cleaned areas of your house — they may need more help than you know.

Rugs can get dirty very easily, mainly if people walk on them without taking their shoes off. You never know how much dirt is hiding in your carpet until you launder it at home or with a cleaning service. If your rug is more valuable, rely on the help of a professional to restore it to its sanitary state. Other rugs can be thrown in your washing machine and taken care of if you use the right type of cleaners for specific stains. 

Don't wait for a natural disaster or water damage to remind you to clean your rugs. You should be treating them regularly.

You likely use your office every day if you work from home. You may not want to think of reentering the room unless you're on the clock, but you should add it to your regular deep cleaning regimen. You don't have to worry about other people's germs, but you should still be aware of dirtiness on your desk, computer and accessories.

Dead skin cells and food crumbs are just a few of what you may find when deep cleaning your office. Unless you always wash your hands before touching your keyboard and don't pick up any other potentially dirty objects — such as your cellphone — while working, you may have something to worry about on your keys. Take time to deep clean your electronic equipment. If you spend most of the day in your office, you deserve to have a clean space.

You sleep on your mattress every night. Because it's covered by sheets you regularly wash, you may not think you have to clean it. However, dead skin cells and odors can get trapped in your mattress over time. You can eliminate any nasty smells by using baking soda and vacuuming it. Cleaning and rotating it regularly is crucial to prolonging its life span.

You may often wash your windows, but how often do you clean your window coverings? Curtains and blinds usually collect dust and dirt, and their grime levels can go unnoticed until you get close to them. If anyone in your household is sensitive to allergies and can't explain why they have flare-ups in a spotless house, look no further than your coverings. Curtains and blinds can collect allergens and should be cleaned once a month or so.

Dusting your blinds can work for short-term fixes, but it won't necessarily eliminate every allergen. Once in a while, take your blinds down and use water to wash them completely clean. The easiest way to clean blinds is to use soapy water and a garden hose. Curtains can be effectively cleaned in a washing machine without extra effort on your part.

Handles and doorknobs are essential parts of your home, but you may not consider how sanitary they are when you use them. Doorknobs can contain millions of different types of bacteria, depending on how many people you have coming and going in your home. 

You should especially watch out for kitchen handles, which you may have touched while cooking. Try to wipe everything down after making dinner for the night, but don't forget to disinfect high-touch areas.

Many people carry reusable grocery bags to go shopping with. When was the last time you laundered them? Food spoils quickly, and any leftover items can create stains, mold or mildew, depending on what your reusable bags are made of. 

You should aim to empty the bags completely after every grocery trip. You may want to wipe down reusable plastic bags with disinfectant wipes or throw fabric grocery bags into the washing machine after a few shopping excursions.

When you can't put something in the dishwasher, you likely clean it by hand with a sponge or kitchen brush. After a while, those tools tend to get pretty dirty themselves, but you may still use them to wash your dishes. Take time to deep clean your brush and sponge. Regular cleaning can also help you know when to replace them. Sponges don't last forever and brushes can get messed up quickly, depending on how often you use them.

The easiest way to ensure you don’t miss anything during your cleaning spree is by making a checklist. If you know what problem areas to hit in each room, you can knock them out until your entire home is deep cleaned. Luckily, you don’t need to do this every week. Still, take care of the things not many people think about. You never know what kind of germs and dirt you could be getting rid of.