8 Hidden Spots That Are Making Your Home Dirtier (And How to Clean Them)

Life in Chicago moves fast. Between work, family, and trying to enjoy everything our amazing city has to offer, keeping your home spotless can feel like a full-time job. You might wipe down surfaces and run the vacuum, but some of the dirtiest spots are the ones you never think to clean. Let’s change that.

Your home might look clean on the surface, but some of the grimiest, most bacteria-prone areas are the ones that are out of sight and out of mind. This isn’t because you’re doing anything wrong—it’s just easy to forget about the nooks and crannies. As a busy Chicagoan, knowing these spots can transform your cleaning routine from a chore into a quick, effective habit. Here are eight commonly forgotten areas and exactly how to tackle them.

1. The Kitchen Sink & Garbage Disposal

This is the epicenter of kitchen grime. Food particles, grease, and organic waste collect below the drain, and constant moisture allows a slimy biofilm (a bacteria layer) to form. If ignored, it leads to nasty odors and can even aerosolize harmful bacteria like E. coli back into your kitchen air.

The Simple Fix:

• Weekly Flush: Blast hot water and a squirt of dish soap down the drain to break up grease and flush out odors.
• Get Physical: Use a drain brush (like a large mascara wand) with hot, soapy water to scrub the inside of the disposal.
• Enzyme Power: Once a month, use an enzyme-based drain cleaner stick to digest organic matter and prevent stinks.

Remember, tricks like ice and lemons are temporary fixes. For a truly fresh kitchen, regular maintenance is key. If this feels like too much, consider booking a deep cleaning help session to get you started on the right foot.

2. The Dishwasher Filter & Door Gasket

Your dishwasher cleans your dishes, but who cleans the dishwasher? The filter traps food debris, and the warm, moist environment is a paradise for bacteria and mold growth, especially in the rubber door gaskets.

Keep It Fresh:

• Monthly Filter Clean: Remove the filter and wash it with hot, soapy water and a scrub brush.
• Wipe the Gasket: Spray a heavy-duty cleaner on the rubber door seal, let it sit, then wipe clean with a microfiber cloth.
• Air It Out: Always leave the dishwasher door slightly ajar when not in use to prevent moisture buildup.
• Cleaning Cycle: Once a month, run an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaning tablet.

This simple maintenance prevents stinky, gritty dishes. For a comprehensive refresh of all your appliances, a professional home cleaning service can handle the details.

3. The Washing Machine (Gasket & Detergent Drawer)

Front-load washers are notorious for mold in the rubber gasket and the detergent drawer. Trapped moisture and detergent residue create the perfect storm for funky smells that can transfer to your clothes.

Stop the Mold:

• Wipe & Dry: After each load, wipe the rubber gasket dry and pull out the detergent drawer to air dry.
• Clean the Drawer: Periodically remove and rinse the drawer. Scrub with vinegar to break down soap scum.
• Keep it Open: Use a magnet to keep the door slightly ajar between loads for airflow.
• Monthly Clean: Run a washing machine cleaning tablet through an empty hot cycle.

Staying on top of this keeps your laundry smelling fresh. If your chore list is overflowing, it might be time to schedule a cleaning for the rest of your home.

4. The Bathroom Exhaust Fan Cover

This truly is a “set it and forget it” item. The fan pulls in humid, dusty air mixed with bathroom products and dead skin cells, clogging the cover and reducing efficiency.

Clear the Air:

• Remove & Wash: Use a step stool to safely remove the fan cover. Wash it in soapy water, rinse, and dry.
• Quick Vacuum: Between deep cleans, use your vacuum’s wand attachment to suck dust off the grates.

A clean fan works better, reduces mold risk, and stops that annoying airplane-like roar. For a truly comprehensive bathroom scrub, our team offers expert cleaning services in Chicago.

5. The Toothbrush Holder

This is the hallmark of a clean bathroom for a reason! Constant exposure to moisture, mouth bacteria, and (yes) toilet plume makes it a biofilm factory.

Simple Sanitation:

• Dishwasher Safe: Most holders can be cleaned weekly on the top rack of your dishwasher.
• Hand Wash: Alternatively, scrub with a sponge and soapy water.
• Pro Tip: Pat your toothbrush dry on a towel before placing it back to reduce moisture.

Avoid fully enclosed holders—they prevent airflow and never let your brush dry. For help maintaining a sparkling bathroom, you can always book an appointment with our team.

6. Your Pet’s Water Bowl

Just like our water bottles, pet bowls develop biofilm quickly from saliva and oral bacteria. Plastic bowls can trap microbes even more.

For Your Pet’s Health:

• Daily Wash: Clean the bowl every day as you would your own glass.
• Upgrade Material: Use stainless steel or glass bowls that can go in the dishwasher for easy sanitizing.

This simple habit can prevent gastrointestinal issues for your furry friend and keep your home healthier.

7. Remote Controls & Game Controllers

Studies show these high-touch items often have higher bacterial counts than a toilet seat! They collect oils, food residue, and germs from our hands.

Disinfect Gently:

• Disinfecting Wipes/Spray: Use a disinfectant according to label instructions. Spray onto a cloth first, then wipe the device to avoid liquid seeping into electronics.
• Detail Cleaning: Use a toothpick or folded post-it to gently scrape gunk from between buttons.

Regularly wiping down these items is a quick win for a healthier home. When you need a top-to-bottom sanitization, a reliable Chicago cleaning company can help.

8. The Area Around & Behind the Toilet

We save the best for last. Splatter (especially in homes with men or children) and dust collect around the base and behind the toilet, creating a zone for odors and stains.

Conquer the Creepy-Crawly Space:

• Spray Everything: When cleaning the toilet, spray an enzyme-based cleaner (essential for breaking down urine odors) on the exterior, base, and behind the toilet.
• Scrub & Rinse: For neglected areas, get on your knees with gloves and a scrub brush. Finish by rinsing with cold water and paper towels.
• Make it Routine: Incorporate this area into your regular bathroom cleaning to prevent a big, gross job later.

This task is often skipped because it’s unpleasant, but it makes a huge difference. If you’d rather leave it to the pros, we’re here to clean your apartment thoroughly and efficiently.

Cleaning Smarter, Not Harder

Effective cleaning isn’t about doing more—it’s about knowing the critical spots and maintaining them. By adding these eight areas to your mental checklist, you can eliminate hidden grime and make your entire Chicago home feel fresher. Sometimes, the best solution is to get a little help cleaning my place from a trusted team, freeing up your time for the things you love.

Your home might look clean, but some of the dirtiest, smelliest, most bacteriarprone spaces in your home are spots that are forgotten, hidden, or no one’s told you to clean before. And this isn’t because you’re doing anything wrong, but this is just because it’s out of sight, out of mind, something that you don’t think about or something that just doesn’t occur to you on a regular basis. And what I’m doing is uncovering eight of the dirtiest spots in the average North American home. I’m going to cover what those eight areas are, why they can be problematic, and exactly how to clean them. If you’re new here, welcome to Clean My Space. My name is Melissa Maker. I’m an accidental cleaning expert, which means I hate cleaning, but I love finding the easiest and most effective way to get the job done right the first time. So, if you haven’t done so already, make sure that you subscribe to the Clean MySpace channel. And before we get into it, if you want to learn more about Makers Clean, which is my sister company, you can check the link down below. It’s where we sell all of our premium microfiber cleaning tools and more. All right, let’s get into it. In no particular order, we are going to start with the kitchen sink and the garbage disposal. And here’s why it gets gross. You get food particles, grease, and organic waste that collect below the drain line. Constant exposure to moisture allows for a bofilm to form, which is like a bacteria slime layer. And food disposals grind up food and sort of get rid of it, but the inside of the food disposal never really gets clean. So, there’s a lot of food remnants just hanging out there. Now, if these areas are ignored, after a while, it’s going to get really stinky in there. You’ll also get bacterial growth that can aerosolize when water is turned on, which essentially means that the bacteria can get sprung back up into the air and land on surfaces. This could even be harmful bacteria like E. coli as well. So, you have to be really careful. And even if you think that your sink is clean, you can deal with reoccurring odors because you’re not dealing with the actual problem itself. Now, the fix for this is pretty simple. It’s just something you have to remember to do and stay on top of. The first one is just as easy as turning on your faucet. By blasting hot water and a little bit of dish soap down that sink to break up grease every week or so is really going to help flush out odors and any of that bofilm. If you want to get a little more physical, you can also pick up a drain brush. These kind of look like large mascara wands. And you can use a little bit of hot water with dish soap. And you can scrub the inside of the sink and the garbage disposal. Enzyme drain cleaners can also help to digest organic matter. I have a simple little stick that I put into my kitchen sink once a month. I take it out of the package, drop it in the sink, and let it do its thing, and it digests and helps to decompose anything that’s stuck in there that could lead to odors. And you might have heard of people putting ice and lemons into their food disposal. And that might help sort of temporarily make things better, but it’s not going to deal with any of that bacteria, that organic matter, and that bofilm. Next up, we’ve got the dishwasher filter and the door gasket. Here’s why this area can get gross. Filters trap food and debris by design. That’s exactly what they’re supposed to do, but they also need to be maintained. Warm water and food and moisture is an ideal condition for bacteria to grow, which is why your dishwasher can start to get really smelly. And those rubber gaskets in your dishwasher hold moisture and can eventually trap bacteria and can even grow mold over time if they’re not maintained properly. If these areas are ignored over time, you can get stinky dishes or dishes that feel gritty and come out dirty even after washing. I’ve talked about dishwasher maintenance before, and if you want to see a full video on how to do it, I’ve got a link to that video down below. But to maintain your dishwasher, simply remove the filter and clean it with hot soapy water and a little scrub brush once a month. This takes a minute to do, but doing it makes a huge difference. And to clean the rubber gaskets on the side of your dishwasher door, this is an easily forgotten area to clean. Just take a heavyduty cleaner, something like Dawn Power Wash or if you have CRUD Cutter if it’s really gross, and spray the area with a gasket. Let that product sit for a few minutes. And then you can wipe it with a microfiber cloth or if you need to, you can use a soft sponge as well. And just by wiping this area even once a month. Again, it’s going to make a huge difference. Also, make sure that your dishwasher door is left cracked slightly open when it’s not in use. This is going to allow air to circulate so that that moisture can never really turn into anything moldy and bacteria really has no chance. Oh, the other thing you can do, and this is super easy, when your dishwasher is empty, throw in a dishwasher cleaning tablet and run a cleaning cycle once a month. This is going to help to break down any additional odors or soap scum or stuck on food. It makes a big difference and it’s super easy. Along similar lines to the dishwasher, next up we have the washing machine. And we’re going to talk about the rubber gasket on a front load washer as well as that detergent drawer. Those things can get disgusting. And here’s why they can get gross. Detergent residue is what feeds bacteria and mold. Once that happens, if your door is closed or the detergent drawer is closed, moisture will get trapped and then that moisture starts to feed on the remnants. And there you have bacteria and mold. If this is ignored, here’s what you’re going to notice. First, your detergent drawer is going to start to become multicolored. It might be a little bit brown or gray or black or pink or orange. You might get those little mold spots. And the rubber gasket is also going to look a little bit moldy, too. You’re going to start to see those black or gray dots show up. Next, your laundry is going to start to smell. It might be a little bit sour. It might be a little funky, a little bit musty. That is mold. Now, to fix this, again, it’s pretty easy. You just have to remember to do it, and you have to stay on top of it. Once you’re done doing a load of laundry, you want to take a microfiber cloth and wipe out that gasket. The detergent drawer on your washing machine is removable, so if you gently pull it out, you can give it a rinse and allow it to air dry. This is a good thing to do every now and then. You can even scrub it with a little bit of vinegar just to help to break down any of that extra soap residue. And what this does is it helps to keep it clean so that nothing can be there for mold or mildew or bacteria to feed upon. And when you’re not using your machine, if you’re able to pull that drawer out slightly just to let air cycle through it and to dry out some of that moisture buildup. I’ve said this for many years, you have to leave your washing machine door open. And if it’s an annoying job to do, I’ve got a solution for that. It’s a little magnet that you can pop between the door and the base of your washing machine. It keeps it slightly a jar. And then you can pop it on top of your machine when you’re doing laundry and then replace it as soon as you’re done so your door always stays slightly cranked. You can also use a washing machine cleaning tablet. You can do this once a month just to clean out any extra residue or dirt from your machine. You want to make sure that you’re dosing your laundry detergent correctly. Laundry pods are really good to solve that problem if you’re struggling with dosing. And if you want to see a full washing machine cleaning and maintenance video, I’ve got that link for you down below as well. When you’re in your bathroom, do you ever look up at the fan and do you see the cover of the fan? That’s the area we’re talking about next. The fan itself, as well as the cover of the fan, can get dusty and dirty and clogged when it’s in use. It pulls in humid air that’s mixed with dust and product that you use in your bathroom, as well as dead skin cells. And this is truly one of those set it and forget it things. You put it up there, you never look at it again. So, one of the biggest issues if this is ignored is that it becomes less efficient. So, your fan is going to have to work harder to pull moisture out of the air and it’s going to be more expensive to run. Also, it becomes noisy. Every time if you go in the bathroom, you hear your fan and it’s roaring like it sounds like an airplane is about to take off. That’s because your fan is working overtime. Also, if moist air stays in your bathroom for longer, that means you’re at a higher risk of mold and mildew building up in there. Oh, and one other thing. Dust and allergens can recirculate in the room if all of that dust isn’t being pulled out efficiently. So, there are lots of good reasons to clean this fan cover and the fan itself. Now, in order to do this, the first thing you need is a step stool and then some soapy water and a scrub brush. You’re going to get up on that step stool, pull the fan cover off, bring it down to your sink, and just give it a quick scrub and a rinse. Then, you’re going to allow it to dry. If you’re just passing through your bathroom and doing a cleaning once a month, once a quarter, you can look up, use your vacuum wand extension, and just vacuum the fan grates. And if you actually want to clean the fan inside the enclosure, you’ll have to disengage the power. And then you can use a cloth or a vacuum to remove any of that dust. I’m not going to demonstrate that here. And while we’re in the bathroom, let’s talk about toothbrush holders. These get really gross. To me, the hallmark of a clean bathroom, if I’m being really picky, is looking at someone’s toothbrush holder cuz they are so crusty. It’s just got constant exposure to moisture plus bacteria from your mouth. Guess what’s going to happen there? Lots of bofilm. And just as a cherry on top, your toothbrush and the holder is constantly being exposed to toilet plume. Yum. The fix for this is pretty simple. Take your toothbrushes out of their cups or holders. Remove the lid if you have one. You can generally wash these on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run these through once a week. If you don’t want to take them to the dishwasher, you can simply wash them by hand with a sponge and soapy water. Problem solved. And here’s a little tip. If you don’t like seeing that grimy buildup after you’re done brushing your teeth on your little toothbrush cup, you can take your toothbrush, pat it on a towel or a faceloth just to remove any of that excess moisture and then replace it. Oh, and if you have one of those fully enclosed toothbrush holders, please avoid those. They don’t allow for any air flow and your toothbrush is never going to dry out. It’s really gross. This one only applies to pet families, but I know there are a lot of them out there and that is your pet’s food and water bowl. But let’s focus specifically on the water bowl. When your pet drinks out of their water bowl, they are constantly introducing saliva and oral bacteria to that bowl of water. Water bowls, frankly, just like our water bottles, develop bofilm quickly because again, our mouths are one of the dirtiest places on our body. Also, if you’re using a plastic bowl, they can trap bacteria and microbes. They can just look dirtier and smell dirtier a lot faster. If this is ignored, it can lead to GI issues with your pets, gastrointestinal issues. And when tests were done in different homes, it showed that there was a significantly increased bacterial count in these bowls. The fix for this is obvious and easy. Just clean those pet bowls every day. If you have a stainless steel or a glass one, even better because they can go in the dishwasher. Just treat your pet’s water bowl as you would treat your own mug or glass. You want to make sure these are being cleaned about once a day. This one might not occur to you when you’re in your own house, but certainly when you’re at a hotel or someone else’s house, you’re paying a lot of attention to this. Those are remote controls and game controllers. These get gross because they are exposed to constant hand contact. They are high touch point areas. And think about what’s on your hand. Food, oil, grease, germs, bacteria, fecal matter. If these areas are ignored, multiple studies have shown these tend to have higher bacterial counts than toilet seats. So, the way to clean these is to use a disinfecting cleaner because we want to get rid of the bacteria on there. Now, you can do this in a couple of different ways. You can use a disinfecting wipe, but you have to make sure that you’re following the instructions. Or you can use a disinfectant sprayed on a cleaning cloth and then wipe the device before allowing it to dry. You always want to make sure that you’re avoiding liquid getting into any of the little cracks or crevices because that can damage the device. And if you have any gunky or grimy buildup in between the cracks or the buttons of any of these devices, you can use a toothpick or even a folded up post-it note to kind of scratch or scrape it out. Now, you didn’t think I was going to forget about talking about the toilet, did you? Of course not. I saved the best for last. We are going to talk about the area surrounding the toilet, behind the toilet, and the base of the toilet. Yummy. Let’s talk about why this area gets gross. If you’re sitting down to pee, you’re likely not dealing with a lot of this splashback. But in households that have men or children, I’m sorry, I’m not calling you out, but I sort of am. You’re going to see splatter around the toilet. You just are. Also, those areas collect dust. And when dust is there, it just acts as a little thirsty sponge and it collects organic matter. And let’s be real, this area is often skipped when it comes to cleaning because it’s harder to access. You got to get down on your hands and knees. We all know it’s a little bit gross and grimy back there. Now, if this area is ignored, the first thing you’re going to notice is sort of visual staining. You’ll also notice persistent odors in the bathroom. And that’s because organic matter. That urine is just hanging out there and it’s going to oxidize. It’s going to start to smell. Now, here’s the fix for this. And if you want a full video on how to clean a toilet and the area around it, I’ve got a video link for you down below. But what you’re going to do when you’re cleaning your toilet is to spray the exterior of the toilet. Include in this the base, the area behind the toilet when you’re spraying as well. And make sure that you’re using an enzymebased cleaner, which is going to help to break down any of that urine odor. If you use a regular bathroom cleaner, let me be clear, it’s not going to help get rid of that urine odor. And if this area hasn’t been cleaned in a while, it’s going to need a little bit of extra TLC. My recommendation is to roll up a towel under your knees cuz you’re going to be on your hands and knees for a little bit of time. You’re going to have to get in there with a scrub brush, put some gloves on, and then you can finish up your clean with a soft sponge just to scrub any of that buildup. You will be grossed out, but you will also be impressed because it’s going to come very, very clean. And then you’re going to finish this with a rinse. I would recommend using cold water and paper towel. Your cloth is going to look super gross. You’re going to throw it in the garbage. And then that area is going to be sparkling clean. Once that’s done, incorporate this cleaning into your regular bathroom cleaning routine. and you won’t have to go through that again. Cleaning smarter isn’t about doing more. It’s about knowing what to clean and at what frequency. And I hope that in this video I showed you some of those really gross places that we forget about but can contribute to our home having that kind of ick factor if it’s not dealt with. And remember, you’re not skipping these areas because you’re lazy. You’re skipping these areas because maybe you just didn’t know. So now you know. And when you know better, you can do better. And that leads me to this week’s comment question, which is, what would you say is the grossest place in your home? Let me know in the comments down below. I’m going to tell you right now, the first place to go in my house, the grossest place by far is my kitchen sink. Because if I am not absolutely on top of that space, I will let it get so bad so quickly. And I should know better, but it still happens. All the links to the products that I talked about are in the description box down below. And if you want more solutions to your cleaning conundrums, make sure that you sign up for our email newsletter. It’s called The Dirty Dish. Comes to you once a week and I’ve got a link for that down below. If you like what we do here at Clean My Space, consider becoming a member. And if you find it hard to figure out how to clean, it might just mean that you need to start with one or two habit changes. And I’ve got a whole video on that. This is 10 cleaning habits that can change your life. You can check that out right over here. And if you haven’t done so already, make sure that you subscribe to the Clean My Space channel. Thanks so much for watching and we’ll see you next