Some guests are a little more observant than others, and while they might not say anything, they could well be silently judging the cleanliness of your home.
Luckily, one professional cleaner is here to save the day, revealing the three most common dusty spots eagle-eyed guests always notice, along with her top cleaning tips to help you spruce up these areas before guests arrive.
Dusty Spots Every Host Should Tackle Before Guests
1. TV & Entertainment Centers
Electronics are a magnet for dust.
Entertainment centers are one of the most overlooked areas to clean before hosting, especially as the heat of electronics makes them magnets for dust.
Savannah Setzer, cleaning expert and founder of Mop&Bucket, begins, 'Many gatherings center in the living room. Guests sitting on the couches are at eye level with a lot of your surfaces, and will see the collected dust much more easily than if they were standing.'
To clean a TV screen without damaging it, Savannah says, 'Gently run a dry microfiber cloth over the TV screen to collect the buildup, and do the same with the entertainment center surface. Feel free to follow with a damp microfiber cloth on the entertainment center to ensure you've gotten all the dust. Do not attempt to wet-wipe the TV screen without seeing what the manufacturer recommends.'
For peace of mind when cleaning electronics, you can also use a screen cleaning kit from Amazon. For smaller grooves and ports, a compressed air duster, also from Amazon, is a great bet to avoid damage.
2. Baseboards
Baseboards and trim are often neglected, but draw the attention of guests.
Savannah reveals, 'Baseboards are the first thing I find myself looking at when I go into a house sometimes. Taking a duster to them before you clean the floors can really elevate your space.'
If you want to avoid crawling around your home to clean baseboards, we recommend using an extendable duster, such as the Swiffer Duster from Target. You can also fix a laundry sheet to the end of your vacuum for an easy, back-saving cleaning trick.
For tougher cleaning, Savannah adds, 'Dirt, grease, and marks from pets will easily come off with multi-purpose or a spritz of Dawn Powerwash [available in a Christmas pine scent from Walmart to help make a home smell nice for Christmas] and a microfiber cloth [also from Walmart].'
3. Bathroom Vanity Objects
Bathrooms are dust hotspots, and it quickly makes your home look dirty.
Getting rid of dust in a bathroom is tricky. Because of the moisture, and activities such as towel drying and brushing hair, dust and debris accumulate and stick quickly. Unfortunately, judgmental guests will notice.
This is especially noticeable on items on your bathroom vanity, or between items on shelves if you do not clean each item every time you clean a bathroom (and let's be honest, who has time for that?)
The same applies to vanity lights, Savannah adds. 'Unless you regularly dust your bathroom light fixtures, the duster alone will usually not be enough. After spraying them with a light degreaser, the buildup should come right off. Be sure to know if the product is safe on the surface before using.'
If in doubt, use a non-toxic, gentle all-purpose cleaner such as the Attitude all-purpose spray from Walmart, and spray it onto the cloth first, not the surface. Alternatively, play it safe and use plain water and a Scrub Daddy Damp Duster from Target to pick up dust, rather than spread it around.
What to Shop
Microfiber cloths are machine washable, meaning you can reuse them for years with proper care. Simply wash after use on a warm water cycle and gentle detergent (skip the softener) to sanitize.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has certified Attitude products as non-toxic, meaning they contain no harsh chemicals or artificial compounds.
The Damp Duster is great for allergy sufferers as it removes all dust, pollen, pet hair, and more in one swipe. Better yet, it is easy to clean – simply rinse the sponge with water to remove dust and grime, then reuse.
This extending duster allows you to reach low spots such as baseboards, and high spots such as ceiling fans, to prevent the need to crawl or climb, speeding up safe cleaning.
It isn't just dust your guests will notice, hair and crumbs also draw the eye. A handheld vacuum is a great tool to combat these quickly, reducing cleaning time.
This large room air purifier cleans rooms up to 1,000 sq ft in one hour, and helps to prevent dust from settling on surfaces with the HEPA filter, cleaning the air and your home at the same time.
Meet the Expert
Savannah Setzer is a residential cleaning specialist and founder of Mop&Bucket LLC. With over 1,000 professional cleans completed, she is recognized for her expertise in move-out standards, deep-cleaning protocols, and client-ready home environments.
Seriously short on time? Skip the deep cleans and opt for fake cleaning a house ahead of your guests' arrival, instead.
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