10 Places People Forget To Clean

If you’re an average homeowner, and chances are that you are, there likely are a number of areas around your house that don’t regularly see the fibers of a cloth or bristles of a broom. That should concern you because some of the things you forget to clean could lead to bacterial growth that can make you sick.

Of course, you can read this blog, and then clean things you had forgotten about with any supermarket aisle cleaning product. But the surface of what you are cleaning might not be disinfected completely unless you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dwell time—up to ten minutes or more. Far too often we hear of people applying a disinfectant to a surface and immediately wiping the disinfectant away with a towel. But even if that were not the case, most cleaning products lining store shelves are toxic and leave behind a residue that must be rinsed off after the dwell time is met.

We know, we know. There’s always vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, and good-old fashioned soap.

Well, we hate to break it to you, but—vinegar just kills a few things and doesn't do it efficiently. And you need to allow vinegar at least 30 minutes of contact time. Hydrogen Peroxide also requires a lengthy dwell time. Plus it has bleaching properties that lighten surfaces. It also contributes to illness if touched, ingested, or inhaled.

So let's talk about a TANCS-equipped dry steam vapor system from Ladybug—a safer and faster way to clean forgotten areas.

During cold and flu season, it's very important to keep high touch areas clean. Yet things like doorknobs, the refrigerator handle, cupboard handles, light switches, and sink faucets are top hits on the list of things people forget to clean in their house. Because these surfaces are normally vertical, it’s impossible to keep a chemical disinfectant on them wet long enough to do any good. The advantage of a steam vapor system equipped with TANCS is that you can clean and disinfect surfaces simultaneously in 2 to 7 seconds while leaving no residue behind to rinse away.

2. Mattresses

3. Toilet Seat Hinges

The base of your toilet and the seat hinges can get pretty soiled. Both are hard places to clean with chemicals. Hands and knees scrubbing is the way most people get at these stubbornly nasty spots. But steam vapor and TANCS is the most effective way to clean your toilet. The superheated steam forces the soil out along the edge of the base and out of the hinges into a towel while disinfecting everything at the same time. Housemaid’s knee is a thing of the past since cleaning a toilet with stream vapor is accomplished while standing upright using extension handles.

4. Sliding Glass Door Tracks

Window and door tracks—especially shower door tracks—are always hard to clean. One of the main problems when it comes to shower tracks is the soap scum that builds up each time you take a shower. Soap scum and hard water deposits accumulate in the tracks. Once this starts to build up, it can be a nightmare. Trying to get a towel in there to scrub it all away, sometimes with the assistance of a toothbrush or grout brush, is far less effective than using steam vapor.

5. Furniture That Your Dog Rubs Against

Over time, your dog’s furniture rubbing fetish can cause some serious problems. Cleaning with chemicals takes a lot of time and can degrade or discolor your upholstered furniture. On the other hand, steam vapor works remarkably well without damaging most fabric, including leather. Soil will not accumulate if you remember to do your couch and chairs once a week. You’ll be amazed how easy of a job this is, and how new-looking and odor free your furniture will be.

6. Toothbrushes

When it seems like you just can't kick that flu or cold that you've had for such a long time you might want to think of cleaning your toothbrush more than just running it under the faucet. Steam vapor will do a fantastic job, and TANCS will disinfect it at the same time. That’s important because your toothbrush can harbor bacteria from your mouth that can reproduce if your toothbrush isn't properly disinfected.

7. Outdoor Decks, Steps, and Walkways

If you live somewhere where there's a lot of moisture, such as the Pacific Northwest, your outdoor steps, deck, and walkways get pretty slippery with the mold, mildew, and moss that grow on them. You can scrub them with soap water and chemicals which is a lot of work, or you can use dry steam vapor which is a snap. You will be amazed how quickly things come clean. You will also find your deck and walkways are no longer slippery. Steam vapor is so much better on wood than harsh chemicals, and your deck will last longer since you're killing the mold and smelly mildew that created the problem.

8. Outdoor Garbage Bins

Garbage containers continually get soiled, slimy and smelly. They are hard to scrub and clean. Instead of using dangerous chemicals, some people make a paste of equal parts of water and baking soda, then scrub the walls, bottom, and lid with a brush. That’s time consuming and messy. Instead use steam vapor. The heat will clean the containers quickly while eliminating any odor. Your garbage bins will look like new in no time. And thanks to TANCS, they will be germ-free inside and out. That something baking soda can’t do.

9. Window Screens

Window screens are hard to clean and they can look pretty nasty. In the spring, we open our windows to allow fresh air in. But we also let the mold and mildew that has been growing on the screen for months to blow in. Of course, pollen blows in as well. Chemical cleaners will work but they're tough on the screens, and they require scrubbing and removing the suds and the odors and everything else that comes along with cleaning with chemicals. On the other hand, steam vapor will not only clean your screens, but it will also remove the odors and keep the screens cleaner longer. Staying clean is important because the dirtier the screen, the shorter its lifespan. With steam vapor, your screens will look like new again and the substances that can wear them out over time will be eliminated.

10. Your Pet’s Space

Finally, there’s your pet's little bed, little food and water bowls, and the little toys they play with. You know animals don't like chemical cleaners but surprisingly some pet store websites recommend you apply a 3% bleach solution to your pet’s entire habitat. Please don’t do that. Your pet has an even stronger senses of smell than you, and like humans, bleach isn’t good for them. Steam vapor with TANCS will clean your pet’s space and disinfect it. It will also kill fleas, flea eggs, and larvae in your pet’s bed and make it smell like new. 

So there you have it—a few areas we sometimes forget to clean. You can tackle them with chemical cleaners and chemical disinfectants. But honestly, dry steam vapor with TANCS does a faster and better job. For someone looking to say no to toxic household cleaning products, this proprietary technology is close to priceless.