Here Are Tips For Tackling Hidden Household Grime

Could your house be hiding a nasty mess?

INSIDE EDITION took Good Housekeeping’s Meaghan Murphy and Carolyn Forte to a number of New Jersey homes for their expert advice.

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The two cleanliness experts say a nasty mess can be found even in the cleanest homes.

Heather Hopkins' home looked spotless until the experts got to the refrigerator. Underneath the appliance, they pulled out the condensation pan to find a disgusting scene -- it was filled with black guck. The experts say you should clean the condensation pan once a month.

In the laundry room, there was a moldy build-up inside the washing machine.

Murphy suggested taking a "toothbrush with bleach and scrub, scrub, scrub."

The experts say always leave the washing machine lid open so it can dry out.

At a second New Jersey home, the team went right to the laundry room and discovered another “grime scene.” They found gunk and old clothes when they pulled back the gasket of the washing machine. 

“This is a problem for moms when you are doing so much laundry, the machine just doesn't have a chance to dry properly and you wind up with yuk,” Murphy said.

The problem can be fixed by scrubbing with bleach on a toothbrush.

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In the bathroom, bathtub mats can get filled with mold. The experts suggest clean regularly.

If children have bath toys, they can be filled with mold and grime.

Children put the toys in their mouths but according to Murphy, “It's a gross-out factor, are people going to die from this? No. But is that really disgusting? Yes.”

Here are other useful tips from the folks at Good Housekeeping that can make your home a cleaner environment.

• Don't forget to run your kitchen's exhaust fan whenever you cook. It traps and removes grease particles and keeps them from settling on surfaces.
• Pay close attention to spots where water puddles, like the washing machine, coffeemaker, in the shower, and under the kitchen sink. They are prime spots for mold to grow. Keep them dry and they will stay clean.
• Every month or so, use your vacuum cleaner's soft dusting brush to remove trapped dust from ceiling, wall, and floor heating and cooling vents. Air that blows through can send dust into the room and air you breathe.
• Use a disinfecting wipe to kill germs on touch points around your home, like faucet and appliance handles, remote controls and keyboards, doorknobs, and light switches. These frequently touched spots can harbor germs, especially if someone in the household is sick.
• Be vigilant about cleaning spots and spills when you see them, especially in places like inside the refrigerator or dishwasher where food debris gets trapped. The longer it sits, the harder it is to remove.
• Use a mixture of 3 tablespoons chlorine bleach per quart of water to kill germs in sponges and sanitize surfaces like countertops and cutting boards.

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