I always forget to spring clean this one common household item — and you probably do too

As the weather is starting to warm up, it’s the ideal time to tackle spring cleaning and decluttering your home. And while I ensure every room in my house gets a thorough deep clean, there is one item I always forget to clean—and you probably do too.

In fact, these household items are frequently overlooked during cleaning, yet these are big magnets for attracting dust. What’s more, dust mites are a real bother for anyone with allergies, often kicking off sneezing, wheezing, asthma, and other breathing problems.

In which case, you’re better off investing in one of the best air purifiers to clean up your indoor air and give you the relief you're after this allergy season.

So, before you get to spring cleaning duties this month, don’t neglect this common item in your home.

G & F Women Soft Jersey Garden Gloves: $11 at Amazon

Combining practicality with pretty, we recommend these women's gardening gloves for an affordable, but dependable accessory. They ranked as the best gloves for small hands in our best gardening gloves test. We found them to be both comfortable and soft, with good dexterity. Plus, you get three colors in a pack, to suit your mood that day!

View Deal

Dust your houseplants

Even our houseplants get dusty and need some serious TLC at times. But in our quest to reduce dust in the home, these tend to get overlooked in our cleaning tasks.

However, plants with big, glossy leaves or bushy foliage are essentially magnets for dust, and that build-up can also block their ability to photosynthesize, which may affect growth.

One of the easiest ways to keep the leaves and foliage clean is to use a damp microfiber cloth and gently wipe the leaves. This is a simple yet effective way to help keep the dust levels in your home under control, and should be done once a month ideally.

“Some plants will appreciate a light dusting, and others with larger foliage, like Monstera or Fiddle Leaf Fig, will benefit from having a wipe down with a damp cloth,” suggests Keira Kay, plant expert at Bloom & Wild.

Ideally, plants that have narrow leaves, such as palms, are best cleaned by placing them in your sink, shower, or bathtub and gently spraying them with water.

In addition, spring cleaning your plant's leaves boosts photosynthesis by allowing more sunlight to reach the plant. This long-term health benefit also strengthens the plant, making it more resistant to pest infestations and diseases.

How often should you clean your houseplants?

The frequency of cleaning depends on your plant species, but experts recommend cleaning your plants every two weeks or at least monthly. Plus, regular cleaning is essential to manage dust and prevent long-term pest issues, such as mites.

In addition, spring is the time for active growth for your beloved houseplants, so remember to feed them with the right fertilizer. And if you don’t want to rely on commercial products, you can also create your own fertilizer using common kitchen ingredients. These homemade options contain the essential nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—found in most store-bought fertilizers, offering 7 easy ways to make homemade fertilizer for your indoor plants.

For more top tips, check out how to spring clean your indoor plants — tips from an expert.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

• 9 mistakes you make when repotting a plant
• Plus, avoid these 7 mistakes that can kill houseplants
• Here are 7 best low-maintenance plants for easy care