How do you clean tight corners?

Cleaning tight corners in your home can seem like an impossible task. Dirt, dust, and grime can build up in these hard to reach areas, making your home feel dirty even if you just cleaned. The good news is that with the right tools and techniques, you can get tight corners sparkling clean.

Why is it important to clean tight corners?

There are a few key reasons you should make the effort to clean tight corners in your home:

• Improves air quality – Dust buildup in corners can worsen allergies and asthma.
• Prevents pests – Dirt and crumbs in corners attract pests like ants and cockroaches.
• Looks better – Clean corners make your whole room look cleaner.
• Easier maintenance – Keeping on top of tight corners means you won’t have to deal with huge dirt buildups.
• Hygienic – Tight corners can harbor germs and bacteria if not cleaned regularly.

What tools do you need?

Having the right tools for the job makes cleaning tight corners much easier. Here are some must-have tools:

• Microfiber cloths – Great for dusting and wiping down tight corners. The microfibers grab and hold dust and dirt particles.
• Vacuum brush attachments – Allow you to directly vacuum tight corners and crevices.
• Broom handles – Attach cloths or dusters to reach tricky spots.
• Cotton swabs – Handy for precision cleaning in extra tight spaces.
• Detail brush – Stiff bristles whisk away stuck-on dust and dirt.
• Compressed air duster – Blow away dust and debris from cracks.

What cleaning solutions work best?

Using the right type of cleaning solution will make scrubbing tight corners more effective. Here are some top choices:

• All-purpose cleaner – cuts through dirt and grease.
• Baking soda – a gentle abrasive that deodorizes.
• Disinfectant – kills germs in neglected areas.
• Hydrogen peroxide – breaks down grime without harsh chemicals.
• Enzyme cleaner – attacks stains and odors caused by mold and mildew.

How should you clean tight corners in the kitchen?

Kitchen corners tend to attract a lot of gunk. Give them a deep clean using these methods:

• Remove items from corners – Take everything out of cabinets so you can access the full inside corners.
• Clean cabinets – Wipe cabinet corners down with a microfiber cloth and all-purpose cleaner. Use cotton swabs for tight crevices.
• Scrub floor corners – Get into floor grout corners with a stiff detail brush and baking soda paste.
• Clean where counters meet – Blast away crumbs where counters and appliances meet with compressed air.
• Degrease walls – Use an all-purpose cleaner and scrub brush to clean greasy buildup on walls near the stove.

Behind the fridge

One of the grossest tight spots is behind and underneath the refrigerator. Unplug and pull out your fridge to fully expose this area. Use a broom or vacuum attachment to clean away dust buildup before wiping down with a disinfectant cleaner.

Inside drawers

Over time, crumbs and spills can accumulate in the back corners of kitchen drawers. Take everything out and vacuum the drawer to remove loose debris. Then scrub the corners down with an all-purpose cleaner and old toothbrush.

How should you clean tight corners in the bathroom?

Bathroom corners tend to have issues with mildew and soap scum. Give them a deep scrub using these tips:

• Clean tile grout – Use a grout brush and baking soda paste to scrub stains from tile corners.
• Disinfect tub rims – Spray tub and shower corners with a disinfectant cleaner. Let sit before rinsing.
• Remove soap scum – Apply a liquid enzyme cleaner to soap scummy corners. Let sit 15 minutes before scrubbing.
• Clean behind toilet – Wear gloves and scrub behind and around the toilet base with a toilet brush.
• Wipe down walls – Microfiber cloths easily fit into the corner where the tub meets shower walls.

Under the sink

It’s easy for leaks and drips under the sink to create grimy buildup in this out of sight area. Clear everything out from under your bathroom and kitchen sinks. Clean corners and wipe down cabinets with an all-purpose cleaner.

Medicine cabinets

The corners in medicine cabinets can collect dust, hair, and more that you don’t want near your toothbrush. Take everything out and give the cabinet a good wipe down with a disinfectant spray.

How should you clean tight corners in the bedroom?

Bedrooms tend to collect a lot of dust in corners and crevices. Give them a deep clean using these tips:

• Clean behind furniture – Move nightstands, dressers, and beds away from the wall to expose hidden dust and dirt.
• Wipe down baseboards – Microfiber cloths fit nicely into the corner where the baseboard meets the wall.
• Clean window tracks – Dip cotton swabs in rubbing alcohol to sanitize and shine window tracks.
• Vacuum edges – Use vacuum crevice tools to suck up dust along floor corners and edges.
• Move bedding – Take sheets and comforters off so you can vacuum underneath in the corners where the mattress meets the bed frame.

Closets

Closets with shelving tend to collect lots of dust, especially up in the corners. Take everything off the shelves and vacuum. Then wipe down the shelves and corners with a microfiber cloth.

Under the bed

Your bed’s underside can harbor dust bunnies, dirt, and forgotten items. Regularly move the bed and clean underneath using your vacuum’s hose and crevice tool attachment.

How should you clean tight corners in living spaces?

High-traffic living spaces need regular tight corner cleaning. Here’s how to tackle them:

• Clean where walls meet – Use a broom handle with an attached microfiber cloth to sweep dust from the top corner of walls.
• Vacuum edges – Slowly vacuum along baseboards, electrical outlets, window sills, and floor trim.
• Clean curtains – Take curtains down and launder them to remove dust buildup where they hang in corners.
• Move furniture – Vacuum under and behind couches, chairs, and entertainment centers.
• Clean vents – Use a vacuum crevice tool to clean dust from the corners of air vents.

Inside cabinets

Don’t forget to look inside your living room cabinets for tight corners filled with dust! Wipe them out with a microfiber cloth or cotton swabs for stuck-on dirt.

Electronics

Tight corners around TVs, computers, and other electronics collect dust fast. Carefully wipe them down with a barely damp microfiber cloth to avoid getting moisture in openings.

Tips for reaching tight spaces

All the cleaning tools and solutions won’t help if you can’t reach the tight corner! Here are some useful tips for accessing hard to reach nooks and crannies:

• Use tools with extensions – Attach cloth or dusters to the ends of broom or vacuum handles.
• Get an adjustable duster – Flexible heads make it easier to maneuver into tight areas.
• Try telescoping tools – Extendable vacuum wands and feather dusters help you extend your reach.
• Shine a flashlight – Illuminate dark corners to see where the dirt is hiding.
• Go hands-free – Headlamps are useful for getting light where you need it.
• Use a mechanics mirror – See around corners and behind appliances.
• Enlist help – Have someone move furniture so you can access the area more easily.

When should you clean tight corners?

To prevent dirt and dust buildup, clean tight corners frequently. Here’s a general schedule:

• Weekly – Vacuum corners, dust, and wipe kitchen counters.
• Monthly – Do a deep cleaning session for corners in bathrooms and bedrooms.
• Every 2-3 months – Move furniture to access corners behind and underneath.
• Yearly – Do a whole-house tight corner cleaning session.
• When moving – Clean all corners when moving into a new home.

For high-traffic areas like the kitchen, you may need to clean corners and crevices more often than the recommended schedule.

Conclusion

With the right tools and techniques, even the tightest corners can get cleaned. Focus on using microfiber cloths, vacuum attachments, and cleaning solutions designed to cut through grease and grime. Schedule regular times to hit hidden spots behind and underneath furniture and inside cabinets and drawers. Keeping on top of tight corners means you won’t have to deal with huge dust bunnies or grime buildup down the road.