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Cleaning is an inevitable and important fact of life, and while most people don’t relish doing household chores, they have many benefits. To name just a few, regularly cleaning your home promotes good health and hygiene, reduces stress and extends the lifespan of your belongings.

Our cleaning expert, Jolie Kerr, has more than a decade of experience in the field. If something is in need of cleaning, chances are she knows how to do it. To inform this collection of articles, she’s called upon her extensive knowledge and sought out other experts to help you choose the right cleaning agents and tools for the job, detailing the techniques to use and explaining the science behind the mess.

Do you need help with laundry and fabric care? Check out our coverage for guidance on everything from how to wash your gym clothes so they don’t come out smelling like last week’s spin class to how often to change your sheets. Is organizing your passion (or your curse)? We’ve got help for that too, with expert tips and product recommendations for organizing every room in the house.

How to clean the kitchen

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How to clean your refrigerator

Our six-step guide to cleaning a refrigerator will have your fridge looking #FridgeGoals-worthy in no time. Start by taking everything out — and we do mean everything. Then toss old or spoiled food; wash the shelves and drawers; clean the interior of the unit, including stains and spills; and finish by cleaning the appliance’s exterior.

How to clean every part of your oven

There are three methods to choose from when it comes time to clean your oven: commercial oven cleaner, DIY cleaning solutions or, if your model offers it, a self-cleaning function. Each method has pros and cons, and our guide explains what they are so you can choose the method that’s right for you. We’ve also got guidance for cleaning stovetops and vent hoods.

How to actually clean a microwave

Let’s face it: Your microwave probably needs to be cleaned. Fortunately, it’s a simple task — once you know the secret to doing it with very little effort on your part. To break down the steps involved in this easy kitchen chore, we spoke to cleaning experts and microwave manufacturers about how, and how often, to clean a microwave to keep it in good working order.

How to clean a dishwasher

It can be easy to overlook or put off cleaning major kitchen appliances, and that’s especially true of the dishwasher — after all, we use the dishwasher to clean things, so we don’t think of it as getting dirty. But a dishwasher does need regular cleaning and maintenance to operate properly and prevent foul odors from developing.

How to clean toasters and toaster ovens

Cleaning and maintaining a toaster or toaster oven is an important kitchen chore that can easily go overlooked. But it’s critical to show these small appliances regular TLC to keep them in good working order and, more importantly, to keep your family and home safe.

How to clean every kind of coffee maker

Regular cleaning can only go so far in keeping your coffee maker in good working order. From time to time, a deeper cleaning is required to remove buildup that can cause your cup of coffee to taste bitter, stale or just downright nasty. This deep-cleaning process is called descaling, and it’s designed to clean the inner components of a coffee maker as well as to deep-clean removable parts like filter baskets and carafes.

How to clean an air fryer

The air fryer has quickly become a beloved kitchen tool that everyone from the most inexperienced cook to the dedicated baker can enjoy. Air fryers, like other small kitchen appliances, need to be cleaned regularly, and they need to be cleaned the right way to prevent damage.

How to properly clean cast-iron skillets

We tapped two seasoned cast iron experts to explain the best way to clean a cast-iron pan after cooking in it. The experts agree that the best method is to wash cast-iron cookware by hand with soapy water and a scrub sponge.

How to clean your nonstick cookware

A great nonstick pan is a kitchen essential, but these stovetop workhorses can be temperamental, and one wrong move can leave you with a ruined pan. To break down the proper way to use, clean and store nonstick cookware, we tapped experts to explain the do’s and don’ts of caring for nonstick surfaces.

How to clean enameled cookware

Enameled cast-iron cookware is equal parts functional and beautiful, and you’ll want to care for these pieces properly so that they last many, many years. The porcelain enamel coating is smoother and easier to clean than uncoated cast-iron cookware, but it also needs to be cared for differently from uncoated cast-iron cookware.

How to clean the bathroom

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How to deep-clean your entire bathroom

When it comes to cleaning the bathroom, you don’t need a lot of cleaning products, and in fact, cutting down on the number of products you use will make the job go faster. Using the right cleaning tools, too, is critical to getting the job done right.

How to clean a toilet

Cleaning a toilet is, as the saying goes, not rocket science — and you probably already have a pretty good idea of how to do so. But do you know the truly correct way to clean a toilet? We enlisted a true toilet pro to break down, step by step, the correct way to clean a toilet.

How to clean, install and replace a shower head

Plumbing jobs can be intimidating, even to the most confident at-home DIYer. But removing a shower head, either to clean it or to replace it outright, is a simple and straightforward job that most people will be able to successfully take on. Are you looking for the best shower and bathtub cleaners? We’ve got recommendations for those, too.

Problem-solvers for a bathroom with no ventilation

Living with a poorly ventilated bathroom can be a miserable experience, but these expert-approved tips and tricks can breathe new life into a stuffy, humid, damp bathroom.

How to clean your bedroom

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A 7-step checklist to deep-clean your bedroom

Does your bedroom need some TLC? Our bedroom cleaning checklist has you covered, with guides to the right way to clean mattresses, pillows, duvets and comforters, plus a handy list of the right order to work in when deep-cleaning a bedroom.

How to clean bonus rooms and outdoor spaces

Everything you need to clean all your workout equipment

When it comes to keeping home workout equipment clean, there’s good news and there’s bad news. The good news is that cleaning exercise equipment is very easy — a spray here, a wipe there, and you’re done! The bad news is that you actually have to do it. These expert-approved cleaning products will help you keep your home gym clean and germ- and bacteria-free.

How to clean outdoor furniture

Proper care, cleaning and storage of outdoor furniture is an important part of keeping those pieces looking their best and ensuring they last a long time. Exposure to the elements can leave patio, deck and lawn furniture dirty and damaged, but simple routine maintenance — including the use of outdoor furniture covers — will keep outdoor furniture looking great all year long, and for many years to come.

Grill looking rusty? Here’s what you need to clean it

Clean grills perform better, and better performance equals better food! We tapped grilling experts to find out the right way to clean charcoal and gas grills, to keep them in good working order.

General home care and cleaning

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How to clean all your appliances

It can be easy to overlook cleaning the things we use to clean other things, like the washing machine and dryer, but it’s important to maintain them to ensure that neglect doesn’t cause permanent damage to these expensive appliances and keep them in good working order.

How to clean every type of floor

We’ve got all the resources you need to clean every type of flooring in your home —?the right way! Plus, our product testing team has recommendations for the best tools, from mops to vacuums to carpet and upholstery cleaners, that will leave your floors clean enough to eat off of.

Tools for cleaning hard-to-reach places

Places in our home that fall outside our sight line — like baseboards, moldings, window casings and ceiling fans — can be easy to overlook during routine cleaning. We’ve got tips for cleaning these hard-to-reach places, including the best tools for the job.