Professional Maids Divulge The Things We Should All Be Cleaning Better
[rebelmouse-image 18359058 is_animated_gif=People are naturally messy and homes require a lot of maintenance. Keeping your living space clean is essential for healthy living, but a lot of areas and items often get overlooked. And yeah, guests notice and will judge you for having dirty toilets or crusty stoves.
mature-sensible-name asked, Professional house cleaners of Reddit, what do most people need to clean in their home, but don't?
Submissions have been edited for clarity, context, and profanity.
Dirty shower curtains need to be washed regularly because they're covered in your... whatever it is you washed away...
[rebelmouse-image 18359059 is_animated_gif=When I did housekeeping during college, I noticed that many people neglect to take down their shower curtains periodically for washing.
That's the accumulation of body oils, fluids, etc that has splashed off your body. You can disinfect and make a bathroom sparkle, however, the stench off the ripe curtain...ick.
What? Things can get dusty even though I'm short?
[rebelmouse-image 18359060 is_animated_gif=Coming from someone who is taller than average I'd like to mention that many people only clean to their eye level.
It's always a race between the dirt and the rust.
[rebelmouse-image 18359061 is_animated_gif=The dish drying rack. I've never seen anyone with one that wasn't horrific looking.
Years of cat food and tuna juice takes its toll.
[rebelmouse-image 18359062 is_animated_gif=The blade of their can opener.
A dirty microwave is slightly less gross than a dirty stove. Or a dirty toilet. Scrub it!
[rebelmouse-image 18359063 is_animated_gif=I cleaned houses in college...clean your microwaves people. Baseboards and windows are less disgusting, but more often neglected.
Clean your kitchen, especially if you're inviting people over to COOK FOR THEM. Gag.
[rebelmouse-image 18359064 is_animated_gif=Kitchens in general, IMO. If you're going to be messy, be messy but for the love of everything, at the very least keep the place where you eat and store food spotless.
Seriously. Kitchens are generally small, divide them into imaginary little squares and clean them up one by one in order - you'll be done before you know it and after that , you just need to maintain it bit by bit.
This is similar to the black marks on my walls where my cats incessantly rub their backs.
[rebelmouse-image 18355087 is_animated_gif=If you have toddlers/short children - the entire inside perimeter of your house at the 2.5ft mark has a layer of snot encrusted dirt that's built up over the years that you are most likely blind to by now.
A wet rag and some dish soap goes a long way, especially for white walls.
[rebelmouse-image 18359065 is_animated_gif=Not a pro, but worked housekeeping at a hotel for a bit. Wash your walls. You don't have to go all out, just if you see scuffs wipe them off. Even if you're not smoking inside or anything, so much grime builds up on walls.
They're also some of the most-used items in your home.
[rebelmouse-image 18359066 is_animated_gif=Clean your light switches and doorknobs - they are always gross and people rarely clean them.
Ceiling fans collect tons of dust. Wipe them down!
[rebelmouse-image 18359068 is_animated_gif=Their fans. People be having the DUSTIEST ceiling fans in the world. How do y'all sleep with those things spinning? It's like snow.
This is actually a great idea...
[rebelmouse-image 18359070 is_animated_gif=Here's one people NEVER do but really should: vacuum your mattress. No, I'm not kidding. When you change your sheets you should vacuum that so you can suck out whatever dead skin and crap have made their way down there. Also, we all know to wash the fitted sheet. But below that, mattresses sometimes have another removable cover, please wash that too.
Do people NOT do this? Nasty.
[rebelmouse-image 18359071 is_animated_gif=Clean the things you use to clean other things.
Replace your kitchen sponge at least twice a month. Wash your towels weekly. Leave the door to your washing machine open after each cycle so it doesn't mildew. You get the idea. If these things aren't clean, it can manifest in big ways. Ever met one of those people who has a faint musty/sour smell even after showering? Chances are they've been using the same nasty bath towel for weeks/months and don't notice the smell from it anymore.
Oh people, people. Clean. Your. Toilets.
[rebelmouse-image 18359072 is_animated_gif=I learned about this when I was being trained to clean professionally...
You really need to take the toilet seat completely off every now and again - every 6 months minimum to clean the sludge that accumulates around the screws and fittings.
It's really gross. Wear gloves.
If your stove has a hood, clean it. Oil and grease can become a fire hazard.
[rebelmouse-image 18359073 is_animated_gif=The one that always gets neglected is the extractor fan hood over your cooker. There are filters on there that need replacing (or just cleaning depending on the type) and if you don't after about 6-12 months they turn into a fire hazard because they get saturated with grease. If you put your hand onto the flat underside of your extractor hood and it feels greasy and gross, that's because it is. Clean that sh_t once in a while folks.
Window frames also collect a lot of dust, and sunlight can make it worse. Clean them!
[rebelmouse-image 18359074 is_animated_gif=I have a house cleaner and she says the most neglected spots are doors and window frames. Both get pretty gross (especially white doors around the handle) but people don't notice it until it's pointed out.
Apparently dishwashers have filters that require cleaning.
[rebelmouse-image 18359075 is_animated_gif=Garbage disposal flaps, black mold under there. Dishwasher filters, grossest things ever.
Cleaning under and around appliances is important too - food and dirt piles up.
[rebelmouse-image 18359076 is_animated_gif=People need to clean the backs, top, sides, and underneath their fridge, it gets really nasty after a while. Like super mega gross.
Definitely vacuum after your pets! No one wants to leave your house covered in hair.
[rebelmouse-image 18359077 is_animated_gif=Outside your entryways. If you keep your stoop swept and the garage floor relatively clean, you will track in a lot less crud. Also, if you have pets, vacuum your furniture once in a while. I spent over an hour once removing dog and cat hair from a living room set. Also, behind your toilet. It gets dusty there, plus urine of anyone with a penis lives there. Also, spiders like that spot for some reason.
If you have an HVAC system, replace your air filters.
[rebelmouse-image 18359078 is_animated_gif=Replace the air filters in your home about every 6 months to once a year.
This wins my award for grossest household item.
[rebelmouse-image 18359079 is_animated_gif=The toothbrush holder, your spit and saliva drip down the bottom of brushes into the cup, nasty.
America is in quite a state right now.
We are hurting in ways we've never hurt before.
And getting better doesn't seem like an option on the horizon.
America gets a lot wrong everyday.
But, maybe let's try to focus on what America does right.
Maybe it can be a little comfort in times of struggle.
People from all over the world want to live here.
Why?
Redditor Ulrich-Stern wanted to discuss the best of America. They asked:
"What does the United States get right?"
I think America certainly has a strong work ethic. We know how to work and win.
Getting Around
"Accessibility code for buildings. I come from a country where disability is looked upon like a crime or fault. USA does an amazing job making things accessible. I haven’t seen all of USA but majority of the places has amazing system."
snreddit87
The Backbone
"Our public libraries are a real backbone for the country."
"Andrew Carnegie's groundwork in building the institution of free libraries, even in small towns, set a precedent that we wouldn't fathom today but couldn't live without. They often serve not only as an information exchange but as cultural hub, art gallery, performing arts center, tax aid, voter registration, job resources, etc. in communities."
"Plus they're one of the only places you can just exist for hours indoors without the expectation you must buy something.And I feel like they've adapted to the ever-changing needs of their patrons in modern times faster in the US than most places."
"'A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.' -Andrew Carnegie"
fadedVHS
'restore' or 'create'
"Valuing actual wilderness in places like national parks. Here in England, they will 'restore' or 'create' natural habitats, which is sort-of nice, but they are almost like zoos. They are too small to survive by themselves so they are actively maintained."
"And in some English national parks, they actually allow housing developments as long as the architectural design is sympathetic. Here, 'countryside"'means farms. There is still a notion in the USA of protecting some large wilderness areas from development."
anon5005
Nicotine Fiends
"The rate of smoking cigarettes. We do very little well in the US when it comes to overall health, but we are light years better than most places when it comes to the prevalence of cigarette smoking. Hardcore anti smoking adds + laws of inconvenience + social stigma really did work."
pasta_sauce87
Hollywood
"Films. Don't get me wrong, the US can put out some bad films, but the best ones I've seen are usually American."
ConcreteGardoki
We do do films well. That is a big plus.
Family
"The United States adopts more children than the rest of the world combined."
noodles43r
The Menu
"Burgers. Motherfreakin' burgers."
ProfessorRoyHinkley
"I'd expand that to sandwiches in general. Burgers, Philly cheese steaks, Reubens, subs, clubs, chopped cheese, po'boys, just this whole sandwich spectrum. Americans just took sandwich concepts from across the globe and ran with them."
gurnard
Natural Beauty
"I've always envied your wildlife. I'm from England and the only large wild animals (other than fish) we have are deer, boar and foxes. And they're incredibly rare. I've always thought it was so cool one country could have bears, moose, cougars, alligators, panthers, bison/buffalo, etc."
gateman33
Quickies
"Gas stations like QuikTrip, where they have clean bathrooms, lighted parking lots, free air for your tires, ten different coffees on tap, beer, hotdogs, any soft drink or snack you want, the list goes on. In other countries -- you're not gonna believe this -- their gas stations only sell... gas."
Blort_McFluffuhgus
POWER
"The US is an absolute science powerhouse. The technology we come out with has touched the lives of nearly every person on the planet."
AmericanHoneycrisp
Welcome
"I say this as an immigrant who came to this country, so perhaps take it with a grain of salt. But it truly gives people a second chance at life. My life would be nowhere near as good as it is right now if I were back in my home country."
Porongas1993
Maybe America isn't the hot mess a lot of people think it is. We'll see...
Sex is an important part of life.
That is just a fact.
But sex is also about connection and intimacy.
So it's not a surprise when many relationships take a hit after the sex dries up.
It's not something to ignore.
It's the biggest problem in the world, but partners should discuss it.
RedditorItsyBitsyJoxywanted to hear about reasons to stick around with a partner when there is no sexy time. They asked:
"Would you be in a sexless relationship? What circumstance would you find acceptable for this?"
Sex is fun. And when the sex stopped in my relationships... so did the fun. But that is just me.
A Certain Era
"I'm over 80."
Head-like-a-carp
"There’s a lot of people that are going to be real shocked once they hit their 70s."
KarateKid72
Ruin
"Our second child has ruined her sex drive. Intimacy is still there but extremely infrequently. I've learned how much that intimacy brings to the relationship, it feels very lonely and although I know it's not her fault, it can still make you feel like she's not attracted to me anymore. It can be pretty lonely too if you go from a romantic relationship to borderline platonic one. You can't help wonder how much is body changes and how much is you."
W0otang
Let's Hug
"I had rectal cancer and because of the surgery I can no longer get an erection, it's very lonely."
rickroll62
"Not sure if one exists, but a site to just make friends to be cuddle buddies, or whatever, should exist for people like you & me. I lost my sex drive & would like a relationship for that occasionally."
"In my case, it's not wanting to see someone very often, as well as the lack of sex drive, that I think would make it difficult. I also don't like people over to my home as it's too small for a couch & we'd be hanging out on my bed, which is weird to me."
lefthandbunny
Problems
"I'm in one now. My husband had a stroke... no sex is not the big problem for either one of us."
Altaira99
"This comment brings a lot of perspective. My gut reaction to this question was no. Sex was and still is pretty significant in my relationship with my wife. We’re in our 30’s and have been together over a decade. But if something happened to her and it was no longer an option? I would never leave her and love her too damned much to imagine it, no matter how much we love sex."
Spectre627
Pain
"I have a near sexless marriage. The love is strong, but the desire is one-sided. That hurts."
ztirffritz
Sexless over loveless is definitely easier. So there is that.
Over time...
"I am happily married to my good lady for decades and decades. There are times when it has been sexless for whatever reason but never has it been loveless.I wouldn’t have lasted 2 days in a loveless relationship."
Regthedog2021
You play the cards you are dealt
"I’m dating a man who got diagnosed with prostate cancer a year or so into our relationship. Prostate had to come out and it’s a hit or miss whether or not sexual function comes back. In his case, it was a miss. He wanted me to move on because he got very depressed over it."
"He’s so pleasant and a real decent human being so I stayed with him. Who would abandon someone due to a health crisis? Unfortunately he got bladder cancer next so this is another hurdle to go over. You play the cards you are dealt. We are together in this."
KitchenWitch021
Key Factors
"The reasons for the 'sexlessness' and the depth of the relationship are key factors. My wife got breast cancer at 40 and while she lived another 8 years, the chemotherapy nullified her libido and made intercourse impossible. And yet I dearly wish we could have grown old together whether or not this would have changed. But that’s completely different from cohabiting a loveless marriage or even facing such a situation in one’s youth only a few years after marriage. That would be hard."
eric_nathanson
Options
"A sexless relationship is better than a loveless relationship, as long as I'm loved and we share physical affection like cuddling and kisses and I'm allowed to beat my meat when I need too I wouldn't care. Just a heads up to all the people who take this personally enough to comment how wrong I am."
"There's no such thing as a wrong option, my opinion is in regards to myself and myself alone I'm not answering for anyone else. Different opinions aren't wrong... OP asked a question to be answered from your own point of view..so there's no reason to call anyone else wrong... it's about you, answer for YOU I've answered for me."
TheSims4Dude
Love is there...
"I'm in one. Not happy about it, but love is still there so that's nice."
Strythe_Horde
"Same. Maybe had it once in the last 12 years. Finally decided to go to couples/sex therapy this year. Not sure it is helping, but at least I finally brought up that I wanted to try something. My wife is my best friend and I love here with every fiber, just wish there was more intimacy there."
iathpa
it never happens...
"We haven't had sex in five months due to numerous reasons. Never have alone time with my mom and daughter here. We're both too tired. Our bed we have sex on is where my mom is sleeping. Our waterbed is difficult to use. We always say next weekend and it never happens. We're still going strong though. We love each other and that's what matters."
prettysouthernchick
Well I guess some people can make it work. More power to you.
We all have things which get on our nerves.
Some people have a fairly high tolerance level, and are only truly perturbed by things which are beyond the bounds of common decency, or which are universally accepted as annoying or inconvenient.
Others are not so lucky, and tend to be set off by things which might go completely unnoticed by everyone else.
Redditor Onatic420 was curious to learn the things which instantly make others want to pull their hair out and scream, leading them to ask:
"What do you find annoying as f*ck?"
Is it so hard to pick up after yourself?
"Habitual litterers."- SuvenPan
"When people don’t clean up after themselves."- cheeto_has_spoken
If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen
"People that can dish it but can’t take it."
"I work with a dude like this and it’s terrible."- MF_Ghidra
Never judge something by it's size.
"When skin tears near your fingernail and that teeny tiny wound hurts way more than it should."- BlackCaaaaat
"Buzz Buzz"
"When mosquitoes fly by ur ears."- AxcesDrifter
Back to where we started...
"The Reddit app when it scrolls back up to the top of the 65 TRILLION FKN articles you’ve read."
"It should burn the articles as you read them."- Deathdar1577
Get out of the way!
"People who leave the f*cking shopping carts in middle of the f*cking aisle!"- otherm0ther
But enough about me, what do you think of me?
"People who make it all about themselves."- ExtensionAir7
A lost cause
"Willfully ignorant people."- KingZaneTheStrange
Be it the way another person behaves or common, every day occurrences, we all have things which get on our nerves.
Most of the time it's best to grin and bear it.
But next time you see someone litter, it might be a fine opportunity to let that anger out.
For your sake, and everyone else's.
How many of us heard the old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" as a child?
Or were told by their parents that watching too much television would make your eyes fall out?
Needless to say, these, as well as other sayings and superstitions, were not 100% accurate, possibly even having no truth to them whatsoever
Rather, these were merely a way to encourage, or scare, children into better eating habits, or getting away from the TV once and a while.
Some however, have, took these and other unsubstantiated pieces of information literally, and continue to believe them to be true.
Redditor wste96 was curious to believe what other falsehoods people continue to believe, in spite of proof to the contrary, leading them to ask:
"What's the biggest lie ever told that we, as a society, still believe in?"
Justice will be served... won't it?
"What goes around comes around."
"Sometimes it doesn't."- Recent_View6254
"That people get what they deserve, or must deserve what they get."- HugeMcAwesome
It's just a phase.... or is it?
"That acne will go away after your teen years."- One_Arachnid_1256
Better cut back on those TV dinners...
"Microwaves give you cancer"- Salt-Significance702
Absolutely no justification.
"That torture is an effective method of extracting information."
"Every ten years or so, some three letter agency or another is forced to admit that their torture program yielded nothing but false leads and wrecked lives."
"Then goes straight back to doing it."
"The general population shrugs and says 'if it's the only way to get intel' as if they weren't just told point blank that it doesn't work."- barnfodder
A little kindness goes a very long way
"That being nice and accommodating is a sign of weakness."- AidilAfham42
"Square cut or pear shaped, these rocks don't lose their shape..."
"Diamonds are rare which us why they are expensive."
"They're very very common, their price is kept high by controlling how many enter the market by the De Beers group, which basically has a monopoly on them and hoards them."
"Synthetic/lab grown diamonds are the exact same as natural and even cheaper to make, but people are still convinced they're not as good as 'real' diamonds."- no_ps_wow
Unrealistic expectations on society
"That we need to work tirelessly and wear ourselves out in order to have a good future and stay happy."- iambigego
"Go to a great college and get a great job and have a great life."- MewsikMaker
When you just can't hold it any more...
"That there is a chemical you can put in pools that turns blue when you pee."- Sad_Cherry2884
As the saying goes, you can't believe everything you read.
But for the sake of others, still best to avoid peeing in pools.