Tidy up!

Beware of these 15 nasty spots in your home you should start cleaning!

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Our home is our refuge, the place where we should be able to feel safe. And to make it a pleasant and cozy place, we must work hard. Vacuuming, mopping the floors, cleaning the bathrooms or the kitchen are probably part of your regular cleaning routine. However, there are certain places or objects that we all usually neglect and can become a source of filth and germs. In this article, we have selected 15 "corners of shame" that you are probably forgetting to clean but should pay more attention to. Be honest, how many of the items on this list do you really keep spotless?

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Surely, whenever you do a quick cleaning of your house, you forget about the baseboards. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us! This simple strip of wood that helps protect your walls can end up building up a lot of dust. Clean them every two or three weeks with a damp cloth to prevent allergies and respiratory problems.

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Plants, natural or artificial, especially those with large leaves, collect a lot of dirt that can harm them. You can spray your plants with water regularly and gently clean them from time to time with a cloth. For natural clay pots, wipe with a damp rag periodically, and for plastic pots, wipe with soap and water.

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Who even bothers to clean light switches, you ask? Well, we know it's a chore, but you should consider starting to do it from now on. Your hands are in constant contact with all sorts of dirty objects and can harbor lots of bacteria, so when you touch the switches at home with your grimy fingers, they become a hotbed of germs.

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Coins, crumbs, tiny toys, popcorn, animal hair, TV remotes... There is a wide variety of objects that can be found between the cracks of the sofa. It is advisable to vacuum regularly through all the nooks and crannies to prevent dirt from accumulating and sticking to the fabric, making it impossible to remove afterwards.

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Even if you don't see it, after each use, small drops of water mixed with toothpaste residue end up at the bottom of your toothbrush holder, causing grime. At least once every two weeks, rinse it and put it in the dishwasher for better cleaning and disinfection. Pro tip: Be sure to store it in a place in your bathroom away from the toilet to avoid getting bacteria on it.

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Have you ever thought that every day you take your shoes in and out of the closet without paying the slightest attention, even though the soles are covered with all the dirt they pick up on the street? Yes, we're probably adding a new concern you didn't want to have, but trust us, it's better for your overall health to clean your shoe rack once in a while.

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Did you know showerheads should be cleaned at least six times a year? It is recommended to wash it periodically to ensure proper water flow and avoid the accumulation of residues like scale that then fall onto your body. And you don't even need to resort to toxic cleaning products. White vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner and disinfectant that will leave your shower looking like new. You can thank us later!

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If only we had self-cleaning refrigerators by now, but we're not there yet. For the time being, it's up to us to clean them. Fridge drawers tend to accumulate leftover food and other debris, generating dirt and bad odors that can affect the rest of your food. As mentioned above, you can use vinegar to avoid intoxication. Oh, and don't forget the freezer!

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When cleaning the bathroom, we often forget about the smallest and most inaccessible corners. Let's be honest, we live busy, fast-paced lives. But the truth is that spots like behind the toilet build up a lot of dirt and bacteria. It's a tedious task, don't think we don't know that, but it would be a good idea to start incorporating the cleaning of this area in your weekly routine.

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We recommend washing the curtains about twice a year. To remove dust regularly, you can vacuum them or use a lint roller. While cleaning the curtains, don't forget the curtain rods. Although not visible to the naked eye, they get quite dusty from daily contact with sunlight and air from open windows. They can be cleaned with a feather duster or the extendable brush of your vacuum cleaner. Much better than cleaning the bathroom!

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You probably already have the habit of sweeping and vacuuming your rugs and carpets regularly. But the truth is, sometimes this is not enough. It is advisable to disinfect them from time to time. To do this, you can sprinkle them with baking soda, leave for an hour, and then remove with a vacuum cleaner. Your allergic relatives and friends will be grateful!

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This is very important and most people don't know it: you shouldn’t let dust and dirt build up inside your air conditioner because it can ruin it. In addition, clean equipment improves air quality, optimizes system performance, avoids breakdowns, and reduces energy consumption. You can clean it easily with the help of a vacuum cleaner!

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Because they are difficult to access, ceiling lamps tend to accumulate much more dust —and spider webs!— than any other part of your house. It’s true, you probably need a ladder to do it, but we recommend that you clean them frequently to avoid respiratory problems. Being careful not to break the bulbs, you can clean them with an extendable duster.

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We all love to collect precious objects, memorabilia, and, above all, books. But the truth is, they accumulate a lot of dust. At least twice a year, take out your book collection and give it a duster; yes, one by one. Before putting them back, clean the shelves with a cloth. Use this thorough cleanup as an opportunity to get rid of the books you no longer need!

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Cleaning a mattress can be an exhausting and expensive task. But you should know that the accumulation of dirt, dust mites, and other germs can affect your allergies or even trigger new ones.

The good news is that you can follow these simple steps to avoid having to do a deep cleaning too often: When you get up, don't make the bed immediately; leave it unmade so it can air out. Take advantage of the weekly bedsheet change to ventilate your mattress, dust it off, and vacuum it. As mentioned above, you can also use baking soda to disinfect and eliminate bad smells.

What if?

The scariest near-misses in history you’ve never heard of

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History is full of near misses—moments where a single decision, accident, or twist of fate could have completely changed the world. From avoided wars to scientific breakthroughs nearly lost, these events remind us how fragile the course of history can be. Here are 10 times history almost took a dramatically different path.

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Around 70,000 years ago, a supervolcanic eruption in Indonesia nearly wiped out humanity. Genetic evidence suggests that the human population dropped to just a few thousand!

Had the decline been any worse, human civilization might never have recovered or developed as we know it today.

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The Titanic’s distress flares were seen by the SS Californian, a ship just 10 miles away. However, the captain misinterpreted the signals and failed to respond.

Had the Californian arrived in time, hundreds of lives could have been saved. Instead, the tragedy cemented its place as one of history’s deadliest maritime disasters.

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In 1812, Napoleon’s invasion of Russia seemed unstoppable—until an unexpectedly harsh winter decimated his army.

The Russian cold, coupled with severe supply shortages, forced Napoleon’s retreat. Only 10% of his troops survived, marking a turning point in European history.

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During the moon landing, Buzz Aldrin noticed a broken circuit breaker that could have stranded them on the lunar surface. Fortunately, he used a felt-tip pen to fix it.

If the makeshift repair had failed, Neil Armstrong and Aldrin might have been the first men to die on the moon.

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In the 14th century, the bubonic plague killed millions. It nearly wiped out entire regions, transforming Europe’s social and economic structure.

If the disease had been slightly more virulent, the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution might never have happened.

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The Allies originally planned to invade Normandy on June 5, 1944, but a last-minute weather forecast prompted a 24-hour delay.

Had they gone ahead, bad weather could have doomed the invasion. The successful landing on June 6 helped turn the tide of World War II. Fortunately, we learned the lesson from Napoleon!

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In 1605, Guy Fawkes’ plot to blow up the English Parliament was foiled at the last minute.

Had it succeeded, much of England’s leadership—including King James I—would have been killed, likely causing a massive power shift.

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In 1979, a training tape mistakenly showed a full-scale Soviet attack simulation on U.S. computers. Military leaders prepared to launch a counterattack.

The mistake was caught just in time. A nuclear war was narrowly avoided due to human intervention.

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In 1281, a massive Mongol fleet attempted to invade Japan but was wiped out by a typhoon.

The storm, later called the "Divine Wind" (Kamikaze), saved Japan from conquest and altered the course of Asian history.

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In 1961, a U.S. B-52 bomber broke apart over North Carolina, dropping two nuclear bombs. One nearly detonated—five of six safety switches had failed.

Had it exploded, the blast would have been 250 times more powerful than Hiroshima, devastating the Eastern Seaboard. The incident remains one of the closest calls in nuclear history.