16 places you are forgetting to clean

This post has been sponsored by Swiffer. All opinions are my own.

Every spring we break out the trash bags, dusters and mops in an attempt to get rid of all the dust mites and allergens that have collected in our houses over the winter. Even though we think we are being thorough, oftentimes we are missing frequently-used surfaces that can aid the spread of allergens and germs.

Here are 16 things in your house you need to make sure are on your spring cleaning list.

1.Kitchen Sponge. You use it to scrub your dirty dishes and then just toss it back in your sink. Your sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria. Make sure you are sanitizing it in a bleach solution frequently and then toss it when it starts to look dingy.

2. Stuffed Animals. Wash stuffed animals frequently. If your house is anything like mine, your kids’ stuffed animals get dragged all over the place and snuggled frequently. They can be full of dust. Make sure you wash them in hot water frequently to remove any germs and dust. You can spray them with Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer to keep allergens away in between washings.

3. Couches and Chairs. We so often vacuum our floors and completely ignore the couches. All of your couches and chairs need a good vacuuming to remove dust mites and allergens.

4. Mattresses and Pillows. We change our sheets frequently, but we ignore the other parts of our bed altogether. Make sure you vacuum your mattress frequently and wash your pillows in hot water.

5. Ceiling Fans. We can’t see the top of them, so we often forget just how dusty they can get. To get them clean without spreading dust all over your room, either use a pillowcase or a Swiffer Duster. Swiffer Dusters trap 70% of inanimate allergens — more than 3 times more than a feather duster.

6. Behind the fridge and other kitchen appliances. Who really wants to pull their appliances out and clean? Not many people, but so many germs and allergens are hiding there and do you really want those germs in your kitchen with your food?

7. Your remote control and phones. You touch them every day, but do you ever sanitize them? You should. Phones are often the most germ-infested surface you touch throughout the day. Give your phone and remote controls a quick wipe down with a sanitizi

ng wipe to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs. There are special wipes for phones too so you don’t damage them.

8. Window tracks. Our windows usually get a good spring cleaning, but we often forget about the tracks. Scrub them with an old toothbrush to keep your windows opening and closing well.

9. Dirty Clothes Hamper. You throw your soiled clothes in it, so it’s obviously dirty. Make sure to wipe your hamper our or wash your laundry bag to keep bacteria from spreading. Make sure not to use anything with bleach so you don’t ruin your clothes.

10. Makeup brushes. You use them on your face and then throw them back in your makeup bag. Make sure you thoroughly clean your brushes frequently to prevent breakouts on your face.

11. Purses. Your purse is one of the dirtiest things you will touch all day. Wipe down the outside of your purse with a disinfecting wipe and don’t place your purse on the floor.

12. Knobs and Light Switches. They are some of the most frequently touched surfaces in our homes, but we tend to ignore them in our cleaning routine. Make sure to wipe down all the switches and knobs regularly.

13, The Garbage Disposal. Think of all of the things you put down your disposal, just sitting there and breeding bacteria. It makes me shudder. Make sure to run your disposal at least once a day to prevent anything from sitting down there for very long and clean it a couple times a month by running orange peels through it.

14. Salt and Pepper Shakers. Do you wash you salt and pepper shakers before you refill them? You should. Studies have found cold and flu viruses on them, and you handle these shakers often.

15. Vents. Make sure you give all of your vents a good cleaning, especially your dryer vent. Build up in your dryer vent has the potential to cause a dryer fire.

16. Broom and Mops. Make sure you are cleaning your broom and mop frequently. If you don’t, instead of cleaning your house you are just spreading the germs around. I prefer to use a Swiffer with dry and wet cloths instead of a broom and mop because then you throw away the germs after each use instead of chancing spreading them around your house again.

Did you know, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, a lot of people don’t spring clean correctly? Instead of removing allergens, all they are doing is spreading allergens around and making their house a haven for them. Select Swiffer and Febreze products are now certified asthma and allergy friendly, including the Swiffer Dry Sweeper, Unscented, which traps up to 70% of inanimate allergens; the Swiffer duster and 360 duster, unscented, which traps two times more dust than a typical dusting cloth; and the Febreze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer which reduces up to 95% of inanimate allergens.

As someone who has asthma, keeping my house dust and allergen free is a very important part of life. It allows me to breathe easier and use my inhalers less. I love that these products are asthma certified and I am starting to use them in my home.