When’s the last time you moved the fridge to clean behind it? What about the little crack between the stove and the countertop? If you’re like most homeowners, you may not pay as much attention to the areas in your home that you can’t see. And even if you have taken the plunge, you may not be eager to revisit: those long-neglected crevices filled with goop and grime can produce some gag-worthy smells when that debris is finally dislodged.

Cleaning for appearances is one thing, but have you ever thought about the importance of a deep scrub for proper home maintenance? Thorough cleanings go beyond a quick wipe-down here and there when you’re expecting guests. This attentive service ensures that your expensive appliances, freshly-painted walls and pristine floors remain in like-new condition for as long as possible.

A little preventative elbow grease helps keep the worst dirty spaces in check. But why should you bother maintaining those little areas that nobody sees in the first place?

Why those hard-to-reach places are important to clean

The phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness” isn’t just an old mantra. (And between work and family, who has the time to do all this labor? The phrase “bless this mess” may be more appropriate!)

There’s actually some evidence backing up the reasons why you should thoroughly clean all areas of your home:

• Preserve the safety of your home: Turns out, dirty can be dangerous. Mold or greasy kitchen grime can be recipes for disaster. Take care of your home and it’ll take care of you.
• Prioritize your family’s health: Hidden dirt and dust can have an adverse effect on you and your family’s well-being. Families with pets know that animal hair and fur can end up everywhere, including your home’s HVAC system. Without proper cleaning, these antigens can be a nightmare for asthma sufferers.
• Keep up appearances: You probably take pride in the space you call home. Ridding surface areas of gunk and grime prevents unpredictable odors, cutting down on dust helps you breathe easy and regular upkeep prevents deterioration.

To ensure that you prolong the life of your appliances and to prevent safety hazards in your home, a good rule of thumb is to thoroughly give each nook and cranny a little TLC. But where should you start?

Kitchen hood cleaning and more: surprising places to scrub

• Clean the kitchen hood. The exhaust hood above the stove is a magnet for cooking grease, dust and grime. However, we can’t always see all the dust buildup, nor do we think twice about it because we don’t put our hands, food or cooking utensils on it. Besides the danger grease presents, there’s a good chance that a mysterious kitchen smell can be emanating from it.
• Vacuum under the fridge. Most of us don’t clean under, behind or around the fridge because moving this giant appliance is so difficult. That means dust bunnies, a few pennies and maybe a stray blueberry from that container you dropped on the floor are all festering under there all the same. This dirt can inhibit the fridge’s normal function. If moving the fridge proves to be too difficult, find a handyman to help.
• Clean the foundation of your house. It’s safe to assume that most of us have never thought about cleaning our home’s foundation. This service is actually essential for your home’s well-being. Pulling weeds, removing mildew and blasting roots keeps unwarranted invaders from one of the most vital structural elements of your home. A handyman who performs this service can also notify you about cracks or other problems that may need to be addressed down the road.
• Pull out the ventilation registers and vacuum inside. Because these are on or near floor level, they’re a natural magnet for dirt and dust.

While services like kitchen hood cleaning are a great place to start, there are plenty of nooks and crannies in every room of your house which need attention on a regular basis. It’s difficult to identify and maintain them yourself year-round, which is why HomeSquare’s Essentials maintenance plan includes more than 50 services for you without you even remembering to ask. With Essentials, a licensed and insured handyman is dispatched to your home to keep those areas tidy while you can keep your free time for yourself and your family.