I know when I clean my house, I dust the places I see – the table tops, the shelves, the TV’s and pictures. When I see dust, I get it (well, usually. OK, at least some of the time). That is probably what most of us do. And our homes look clean, they smell clean, but are they really clean? Just as important as the places we see all the time, are the place we don’t. And there are a lot of those places that we don’t.

Following is a list of some places in your home that are not usually dusted, but that need to be just as often as the obvious ones. Some of these places will benefit from dusting with a soft cloth and cleaner like Pledge, others will do better being vacuumed.

• Ceiling Fans – You will be surprised at the dust collected on those. Think about what will happen when you turn them on this spring if you don’t dust…
• Blinds and curtains – There is the argument over which is better for allergies and usually curtains wins. Blinds can be wiped with a cloth, but a lot of dust collects there. While curtains hold dust, too, they can be vacuumed and some of them can be washed or laundered periodically. Either way, keep them clean.
• Air vents – These can be either dusted or vacuumed; I like vacuuming best. But if you don’t do it on a regular basis, the dust can really collect. Think about your air ducts, this spring may be a good time to clean them, too.
• Baseboards and molding – For some of you, these may fall under the category of regular cleaning. For others, they are a dust collector. Chair rail molding is a great place for dust to settle, but also a great place for kids to dust (as long as they aren’t allergic).
• Behind furniture!! – When was the last time you looked behind your dresser, a bookshelf, or your bed (and that is very close to your face when you sleep)? To thoroughly clean, you need to get behind, under, in between.
• On top of the refrigerator – This dust is usually mixed with some grime, but it’s there nonetheless. A wipe up top every couple of weeks will get it. Remember, too, if you store things up there, they will catch dust as well (remember decluttering).

Think about these places when you are doing your spring cleaning. I assure you, it will make a difference in not only how you feel, but how your house feels!