The Cleaning Tip Housekeepers Say Guarantees You Won't Miss A Spot

When you live in a space cleaned by a professional housekeeper, then you already know they just do it differently. After they're done, your space is likely all sparkly surfaces and not a single missed corner, and it takes them half the time it would take you to achieve a similar effect. But there are actually some clever little professional tricks you can borrow for your at-home endeavours. Turns out the secrets of professional housekeepers aren't just gadgets and products — it's also sometimes just about changing perspective. And yes, we mean that literally, because after wiping a counter, table, or appliance, housekeepers will get down to eye level with the surface to make sure nothing has been missed.

The idea is relatively simple. From above, most countertops and shelves will look fine, but shift your angle and suddenly smudges, streaks, crumbs, and grease become obvious because light bounces differently at eye level than it does from above, revealing marks that were invisible a moment before. It's an especially clever trick when deep cleaning the kitchen, as in this space, surfaces take hard hits from cooking (things like splatters of oil or drips of food can end up everywhere). Kitchen counters often appear spotless until you crouch and notice a water ring from a coffee cup or a smudge of oil from cooking the night before.

While eye-level scanning is a good trick for every surface around the home, it's particularly important for areas around kitchen appliances. Knowing how to clean a toaster, coffee maker, microwave, and other appliances is an important skill you probably already have. However, underneath these gadgets are prime spots for crumbs, grease, and dust build-up. So, unless you're crouching down for a good inspection afterwards, you might actually not be cleaning them thoroughly. And let's be clear, this trick isn't just about appearances, either — getting rid of old food residue is important to prevent pantry pest infestations as well as keeping bacteria and odors at bay. This eye-level trick may be the easiest way to spot hidden messes before they build up and cause more trouble. 

Perhaps the best part about this method is that it requires no special tools or gadgets — you just need to make it a habit during your normal weekly cleaning routine. Just a few seconds from a different perspective can save you from realizing too late that your "clean" kitchen still has streaks and crumbs lurking in plain sight. That way, you can enjoy the professional gleam of your surfaces with full confidence that no detail was missed.