7 Things Homeowners Aren't Doing But Should Be

There are a lot of chores associated with being a homeowner. While Canadians take pride in their living spaces, there may be some tasks that haven’t crossed your mind yet.

These seven tasks can make your home safer, cleaner and more comfortable.

Vacuum the dryer vent and the inside of the dryer. Having a buildup of lint in the dryer and vent can potentially cause a fire. Vacuum the debris out of the exhaust vent to make sure airflow isn’t restricted. Make sure you get the vent cap, too.

Vacuum the mattresses. Giving your mattresses a good once-over with the vacuum will ensure any trapped dust is eliminated even if you have mattress covers on them.

Clean the dishwasher. It may seem ironic that you should need to clean the dishwasher, but it does need a deep clean periodically. Food debris can get lodged in little nooks and crannies and could create a funky smell and inhibit your unit from getting dishes as clean as possible.

Clean a crusty keyboard. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Canadian household these days that doesn’t have a computer or laptop. A keyboard is likely one of the dirtiest places in your home. It collects germs, dust, food crumbs, and even dead skin and hair cells. Use compressed air to blow that all away and a little alcohol on a cotton swab to wipe down the keys and the spaces in between them.

Clean those refrigerator coils. Pulling out your fridge every now and then and wiping down the coils in the back will extend the life of the unit. Vacuuming away all the dust bunnies and dirt should also cut down on your electricity bill.

Freshening up pillows. Every three months or so, give your pillows a wash. Putting them in the washing machine on the gentle cycle with warm water will rid them of dead skin cells, hair and dust. Add a couple of tennis balls to the dryer when drying to prevent the insides from clumping up.

Wiping down shower curtain liners. The liners in your shower can collect all kinds of slimy mildew which doesn’t bode well for your health. You can either wipe them off with warm water and baking soda or stick them in the washer on gentle (with warm water) and let them air dry.