Between work, family, and trying to enjoy everything Chicago has to offer, keeping your home perfectly clean can feel like a full-time job. We get it—life moves fast, and sometimes cleaning falls to the bottom of the list. But what if a little clutter was hiding a much bigger, more expensive problem?
A True Story: The Leak No One Saw Coming
I was once helping a client declutter her home virtually. As we started pulling items out from under her bathroom sink, she made a shocking discovery: a slow, persistent leak. She had lived in her home for 40 years and estimated this mild drip had been going on for 20 years.
Because the area was so packed with stuff, she never noticed the constant moisture. And since her basement was unfinished, the water simply pooled there, hidden from view.
The Hidden Damage Was Staggering
The consequences were far worse than a little water damage. The constant dampness had:
- Eaten away the entire bottom of the cabinet
 - Caused the wooden floor joists to completely rot
 - Led to the basement ceiling rotting through
 
This wasn’t just a cleaning issue—it was structural damage. The situation was so severe she needed a structural engineer, who confirmed her bathroom floor was at risk of collapsing.
Don’t Let Clutter Hide Costly Problems
This story is a powerful reminder that what’s out of sight can still cause serious damage. Regular apartment cleaning helps prevent these hidden disasters by ensuring every part of your home gets proper attention.
If you’re struggling to keep up with household maintenance, consider professional home cleaning to protect your investment. Sometimes you need deep cleaning help to catch what daily tidying misses.
Simple Steps to Prevent Hidden Damage
- Regularly clear out under-sink areas and other storage spaces
 - Check for moisture or discoloration during your cleaning routine
 - Consider periodic fast cleaning services to maintain hard-to-reach areas
 - Don’t let clutter accumulate in spaces you rarely access
 
When to Call the Professionals
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or simply don’t have time for thorough cleaning, it might be time to schedule a cleaning with experts. As a trusted Chicago cleaning company, we’ve seen how regular maintenance prevents major issues.
Whether you need someone to clean your apartment or provide comprehensive cleaning services in Chicago, having someone to clean my apartment regularly can save you from costly repairs down the road.
Ready to get your space cleaned and protected? It’s easy to book an appointment with our team. If you need help cleaning my place, we’re just a click away.
Ready for a Clean Home Without the Stress?
If you’re in Chicago and want your space spotless without lifting a finger, Jikas Cleaning is here to help.
Book Your Cleaning Appointment Now →
Maybe you can relate. It was a virtual client and I was helping her declutter. As we started pulling things out, she discovered that her sink had a leak and she had lived in this home for like 40 years and she must have had this leak for like 20 years. Like a little mild leak, just drip drip drip. Because there was so much clutter, she didn’t notice. And because the basement was unfinished, the water sat back here with all the stuff and actually ate away the bottom of the cabinet and the joists all rotted. The basement ceiling all rotted, like structural damage. She had to have a structural engineer come in and they had to redo her floor joist. He said that her bathroom could have collapsed because everything was so just wet and rotted again from a little bit of clutter under her bathroom sink.

