Introduction
Keeping a clean home often means cleaning those hard to reach spots that tend to collect dust and dirt over time. As someone who likes to keep things tidy, I’ve found some helpful solutions for getting to those pesky areas that are tricky to access. With the right tools and techniques, you can fully clean your entire home, even in the most hard to reach corners and crevices.
High Ceilings and Walls
High, vaulted ceilings look beautiful but can be a challenge to clean. Thankfully, there are some great options for reaching them.
Telescoping Dusters
A telescoping duster is a must-have tool for cleaning high walls and ceilings. These dusters feature a long, extensible handle that allows you to reach up to 20 feet. I highly recommend getting a good quality microfiber duster head that will trap and cling to dust particles. Slowly run the duster back and forth over the surface to capture all the dust. The microfiber material is also washable and reusable over and over.
Extension Poles
Extension poles screw onto the end of brooms, dustpans, paint rollers, and more. Attach your cleaning tool of choice to really extend your reach. I use a mop with an extension pole for washing high walls and an extended duster to get ceiling corners in my two-story entryway. Look for poles that telescope out in multiple sections so you can customize the length.
Ladders or Step Stools
For extremely high ceilings, the only option may be climbing up on a ladder or step stool to reach. This is an especially good idea if you need to do detail cleaning or washing in a specific spot. Be sure to follow all safety precautions when using ladders or step stools. Have someone on hand to stabilize the ladder and don’t overextend yourself.
Ceiling Fans and Lights
Ceiling fans easily get dusty but cleaning them can be a stretch. Here are some useful tips for keeping these mounted fixtures clean.
Fan Dusters
Fan dusters have an extendable pole that allows you to reach the blades of a ceiling fan to dust them without having to climb up or take the fan apart. Look for fan dusters with soft microfiber or feather heads. Slowly run the duster over each fan blade to clean all the surfaces. This picks up layers of dust and dirt from the blades.
Vacuum with Upholstery Brush
Another good way to deep clean fan blades is by using your vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment. This really gets into the small crevices and grooves of the blades. Make sure to vacuum both the top and bottom of each blade. Turn the fan off first for safety.
Damp Microfiber Cloth
Over time, lights fixtures and glass lamp shades get covered in grimy dust. Carefully wipe them down using a damp microfiber cloth on an extension pole or ladder to remove the stuck-on dirt. Take extra care not to apply too much pressure when cleaning delicate light fixtures.
Under Appliances
Appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines often get pushed back against walls and corners, allowing dust bunnies to accumulate underneath.
Broom Handle
Use a broom handle to swipe and sweep under appliances to chase out all the dust and debris that are hiding there. Angle the handle to reach as far back under the appliance as you can.
Microfiber Cloths
For sticky, greasy buildup underneath appliances, microfiber cloths work great. Dampen the cloth with just water first. Lie down and reach as far under the appliance as you can to wipe up the grime using the cloth. Microfiber cloths are safe for most surfaces.
Vacuum Crevice Tool
The vacuum crevice tool is perfect for getting in the tight spaces between walls and appliances. Lie down on the floor and use the crevice tool to suck up all the dirt and dust under appliances. Move slowly and methodically for the best cleaning.
Ceiling Corners and Edges
Corners where walls and ceilings meet can quickly get covered in spiderwebs and dirt accumulation.
Angle Dusters
Angle dusters have heads that can rotate to access hard to reach corners and edges for dusting. Extend an angle duster high up to reach ceiling corners. Twist the duster head to fit into corners.
Paintbrush
For corners with spiderwebs, use an old paintbrush extended on a pole to sweep them away. Angle and twist the brush to reach into ceiling crevices and corners. This is gentler than using a heavy duster.
Vacuum Crevice Tool
The vacuum crevice tool allows you to extend into corners and crevices to suck up dust and webs. Use one hand to vacuum and the other to move an LED flashlight around to see corners clearly. Go slowly to remove all the gunk.
Conclusion
With some clever tools and techniques, cleaning hard to reach areas is very doable. Extendable dusters, vacuum attachments, microfiber cloths, broom handles, and ladders/stools help access tricky spots. Take your time and clean methodically for a sparkling clean home, even in the hardest to reach places. What are your best tips for accessing and cleaning hard to reach areas in your home? Let me know what works for you!
