Think you’ve got the icky and sticky under control in your house? You mop, bleach, and scrub on the regular and your home smells like a lemon orchard or a lavender field. The royal thrones in all your bathrooms would be rated “like new” if there was a scale, and are fit for mothers-in-law everywhere.

But what about the lost, forgotten, trapped-in-the-dark gook that lies in the deepest crevices around your home? It too deserves your attention. You may not be able to see it or smell it, but it’s there, multiplying. Although the germs won’t kill you, at the very least they can make you sick or gross you out.

Inside Edition took a tag team of cleaning experts to visit several homes for spot checks on the muck. Good Housekeeping’s dirt specialists Meaghan Murphy and Carolyn Forte inspected the houses of self- proclaimed neat freaks whose homes are virtually spotless. What they found were a few hidden breeding grounds for grime.

 

Refrigerator Drip Pan

Collecting condensation drop by drop, the drip pan in the first house had black mold and discolored water sitting in it. To avoid this yucky buildup in your own refrigerator, the experts advise washing it at least once per month.

Washing Machines

This one will make you check your own washer. Still in house one, there were two problem areas in the top loading washing machine. Issue one: the rim was lined with scum. Issue two: once the fabric softener dispenser was popped open, black slime was revealed. The solution? Leave the lid to the machine open to air out. Homeowner Heather was also instructed to clean up her washer using a toothbrush and bleach.

In house two, busy mom Candace also had a dirty washing machine. When the rubber seal on her front loading machine was pulled back, the unidentifiable remains of what was presumed to be lost socks were found. There was also hair, debris, and black guck trapped behind the liner. Cleaning the area out in intervals and leaving the door open for drying will help deter the offenders from taking over.

Bath Time Un-fun

Candace’s bathroom had a bathmat in place to keep her kids safe while in the tub. As the mat was peeled off, visible yellowing was seen around the suction cups. Since bacterial growth was starting to take root, Meaghan recommended good old-fashioned bleach and a scrub brush to clean it up.

The last stop was Meaghan’s own house in her kids’ bathroom. The ladies went straight to the rubber toys and cut them open to expose mold. Clearly in this case, the best idea is to toss and replace them. However, some bath toy connoisseurs recommend a quick dab with a glue gun to plug the water holes right after purchasing. Prevention is the best cure in this case!

Now that you’re ready to check these spots in your own house, keep in mind which cleaning solutions will work best for a particular surface. Bleach may be too harsh for some, so an alternative like a non-chlorine bleach or a white vinegar mixture may work better. Have you ever been surprised by globs of grime? What do you do to fight covert grime?