I Wish I’d Known I Was Supposed to Clean This Outdoor Spot More Often (It Took Me By Surprise!)

As someone who writes about cleaning for a living, I like to think I’ve got my own home under control. But I’ll admit: It’s not always as spotless as I’d like. There are some non-negotiables — the bathrooms are always clean, the floors are vacuumed often (thanks to our dog), and I keep a microfiber cloth nearby for dusting in a pinch. Still, there are places I forget to clean entirely. One of them? My mailbox.

Last spring, I stepped outside to grab the mail and noticed something gross: My black metal mailbox was coated in a layer of green pollen. It hadn’t even occurred to me that it needed attention (it’s under an overhang and attached to the house), but there it was — dirty enough that I had to stop everything and clean it on the spot. 

This isn’t about impressing the mail carrier — it’s about keeping dust and pollen from hitching a ride into the house on the envelopes and packages you bring in every day. 

Now I give my mailbox a quick wipe-down every week in just three steps.

1. I spray an all-purpose cleaner onto a microfiber cloth. 
2. I wipe down the outside.
3. Then I open the lid to clean the inside.

As a bonus, I usually take that same cloth and swipe the railings on my front steps — two tasks done in less than a minute.

Realizing how dirty my mailbox was made me think about other often-ignored places. If you want to tack on a small win to your cleaning routine this week, here are eight quick-hit spots worth a wipe-down.

• Kitchen cabinet doors (especially over the stove)
• Baseboards (here’s an easy trick to get them clean)
• Ceiling fan blades (all you need is a pillowcase)
• Trash cans
• Door frames and thresholds
• Light switches
• Doorknobs and handles
• The microwave — inside and out

You don’t need to add all of these to your weekly list — just pick one. Tackling overlooked areas in small doses makes the whole house feel fresher without adding a ton of work.