There’s One Thing Almost Everyone Forgets to Clean

Whether we’re meticulous and scheduled in our cleaning routines, or we clean in bursts and spurts, few of us have perfectly polished homes one hundred percent of the time; there’s always something that gets left undone.

This weekend, we’re going to pay special attention to the glass in our homes that may have accumulated a patina of dust and a collection of stray fingerprints since it was last cleaned.

Apartment Therapy Weekend Projects is a guided program designed to help you get the happy, healthy home you’ve always wanted, one weekend at a time. Sign up now for email updates so you never miss a lesson.

Mirrors — especially the one in the bathroom — might get your attention more often. But seriously, when was the last time you cleaned the glass in all the frames around your home? Here’s how to get it done this weekend:

To thoroughly clean the glass in our mirrors and picture frames, we’re going to dust and use glass cleaner. As always, we’re going to dust first; no sense swirling dust around on the glass.

For dusting, I like to use a microfiber mitt like this or this. I feel like a mitt allows me to really get into every little nook and cranny because I can go around them with my hand. Alternately, Swiffer dusters are one of my few non-reusable cleaning supply guilty pleasures because they attract dust so very well.

Next, get your favorite glass cleaner and a lint-free rag. I use Alvin Corn, a DIY alchohol-vinegar-cornstarch cleaner that I feel works as well as any commercial glass cleaner (and one that I’m comfortable letting my kids use, as well). For your “rag,” consider using up-cycled newsprint or a coffee filter. They will clean without leaving behind any fibers.

Tackle this whole-house, detailed project room by room. Begin with dusting. Start in, say, your family room, and dust each picture frame, top to bottom. First, dust the top ledge, then move on to the sides of the frame and the glass itself. Finally, dust the small ledge on the bottom portion of the frame (the one that’s perpendicular to the glass).

Repeat with all the frames and mirrors in the room.

Once all the dusting in a room is done, grab your glass cleaner and rag of choice and methodically clean the glass in each frame. It’s important to spray the cleaner onto the rag and not onto the glass because you don’t want to run the risk of any moisture seeping between the picture frame and glass and onto your artwork.

Move on to the next room and repeat both dusting and glass-cleaning.

You can catch up with weekend projects right here. Share your progress with us and others by posting updates and photos on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #atweekendproject.

Remember: This is about improvement, not perfection. Each week you can either choose to work on the assignment we’ve sent you, or tackle another project you’ve been meaning to get to. It’s also completely okay to skip a weekend if you’re busy or not feeling the assignment.