Dirtiest items in your house, according to a home cleaner — and how to fix things this fall


A cleaning expert is sharing her best tips for keeping your home clean and tidy — and there might be a few surprises here. 

Libby Denney is a 28-year-old cleaning expert who’s been professionally cleaning homes for over 10 years. 

The North Yorkshire, England, resident revealed to SWNS some of the most unhygienic places in and around your home — areas that people should be sure to clean regularly. Denney also shared tips with Fox News Digital as well. 

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One of the most notable places Denney highlighted for necessary cleaning is in and around the dishwasher. 

“If it isn’t cleaned or maintained properly, it starts to smell and build up dirt around the sides,” she said. 

Libby Denney cleaning expert

Libby Denney is a cleaning expert in North Yorkshire, England, who has been in the business for over 10 years.  (SWNS)

Denney recommended that dishwasher owners simply wash the appliance with soap and water. 

“To keep your house clean, you need to be tough with yourself and keep getting rid of items you don’t need.”

The cleaning expert also recommended staying away from freestanding bathtubs and horizontal blinds. 

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She said baths and blinds tend to “build up immense amounts of dust” — and should be wiped down every few days, she told SWNS. 

Cleaning expert

Denney of England gave her best tips for keeping homes clean — including areas you might’ve not thought about.  (SWNS)

Also, Denney recommended never using toilet brushes or wooden toilet seats — as these can carry germs and are hard to clean. 

In terms of wooden countertops, toilets and more, Denney said water and bacteria can seep into the wood. 

So these are best to avoid at all costs. 

She also noted that hallway carpets can be “filthy” — presumably from residents and guests walking back and forth with dirty shoes. 

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“I would advise against all of these items,” she said. 

There are ways to tweak the cleaning process ahead of the upcoming fall season.

“Most are just plain unhygienic, and others require high maintenance.”

Instead of hallway carpets, she suggested sticking “to laminate, liner or tiles.”

Dishwasher

The dishwasher, said Denney, can hold dirt and bacteria in and around the appliance. (iStock)

Denney told Fox News Digital there are also ways to tweak the cleaning process ahead of the upcoming fall season. 

As one tip, she recommended putting dryer sheets in sofa cushions. 

“The scent lingers in your living room for weeks,” she said. 

Couch cleaning

A professional clearer recommended putting dryer sheets within couch cushions to help the area stay clean-smelling and fresh.  (iStock)

Denney also recommended adding a capful of white vinegar to standard glass cleaner to add extra shine when cleaning certain surfaces or types of furniture.   

The 28-year-old also took a Marie Kondo approach to clutter — saying it’s wise to get rid of items in your home if you aren’t using them. 

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“To keep your house clean, you need to be tough with yourself and keep getting rid of items you don’t need,” she said. 

Wood surface

Denney recommended cleaning wood areas often, as water and bacteria can easily seep into the surface. (iStock)

Marie Kondo is well known for her trademarked tidying technique called the KonMari Method: If an item doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it.

“You are not choosing what to discard but rather choosing to keep only the items that speak to your heart,” Kondo’s website — KonMari.com — says about the KonMari Method.

Similar to Kondo’s own backstory, Denney became a sales assistant as a teenager — before learning that her real passion was cleaning. 

Cleaning expert shares advice

A cleaning expert shared her tips for keeping homes clean and tidy.  (iStock/SWNS)

She opened her cleaning business, called The Clean Up Company, in March 2023 — saying it was “the best decision I ever made.”

The company has over 600 followers on Facebook and is scheduled via WhatsApp.  

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Fox News Digital’s Cortney Moore contributed to this report. 

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