3 household items you probably aren't cleaning enough, according to a professional
- We use trash cans, shower curtains, and phones every day, so why aren't we cleaning them?
- Professional cleaner Bailey Carson shared three things people often forget to clean in their homes.
- Trash cans accumulate bacteria, shower curtains get moldy, and phones spread germs onto our faces.
Do you ever think about the dirtiest corners of your home? Are they the surfaces beneath trash bags, or the bottom edges of your shower curtain? Maybe it's the gadget that's in your back pocket.
We asked professional cleaner Bailey Carson, head of the household-services app Angi - who has approved and debunked cleaning hacks across TikTok - what people probably aren't cleaning enough in their homes.
Trash cans are often overlooked
Carson said people don't clean their trash cans often enough, and it can lead to lingering smells.
"Even though trash bags reduce the scent of garbage, trash cans can still retain odors and build up germs over time," Carson told Insider.
Every two months, Carson recommends rinsing out your trash can with some soap and water before disinfecting it with a wipe or spray.
Shower curtains can harbor mold and mildew
I have never cleaned a shower curtain, but Carson says we should be doing it a few times a year.
"The moisture on the curtain from our showers makes shower curtains the perfect place for mold and mildew to grow," Carson said. "To prevent the place you get cleanest from being the dirtiest, try to wash your shower curtain every few months."
If you have a fabric shower curtain, you can just toss it in the laundry. Scrub plastic curtains with a cleaning solution and then rinse with cold water.
Cell phones should be wiped daily
Carson said people forget to clean their phones, but they should be doing it every day.
"Germs can easily live on the sleek surfaces of cell phones," she said. "And as soon as we bring them to our ear to take a call, or whip them out to send a text, we are exposing ourselves to those germs."
All you'll need is a disinfecting wipe to carefully clean the front and back surfaces of your phone. Carson added that you should do the same with other daily items like doorknobs and television remotes.
"Minimal but daily disinfecting is a great habit to build to keep your living space healthy," she said.