Bathrooms are notoriously one of the trickiest—and most troubling!—rooms to clean in a home, thanks to all the nooks and crannies around the toilet, tub, vanity, and more. And because it’s also one of the germiest spots of the home, you really want to make sure you’re thorough when cleaning it. Plus, removing all that hidden bacteria will help to eliminate funky odors! We asked professional cleaners what spots people often miss or forget to clean in their bathrooms—here are eight they’ve noticed, plus tips for tackling the mess.

Toilet Seat Hinges

Think about how much bacteria is lurking in the hinges of your toilet seat…. Ick. But because those little crevices are incredibly difficult to reach with most tools, it’s easy to forget—or ignore—them. According to Sarah McAllister, founder and CEO of GoCleanCo, most toilet seats are removable—but people may not know that, or don’t know how dirty they can get under the hinges. “A lot of the time, the odors you cannot figure out can be coming from there!” she says.

“Look closely at your latches and see if you can remove yours, consulting Google if you need to,” McAllister suggests. “Even if you need to bust out a screwdriver, it’s worth it.” She recommends taking the whole seat off and bringing it to the shower or tub. Then, grab your preferred bathroom cleaner and spray the entire thing down. Scrub, rinse, then wipe dry with paper towels.

Walls and Floor Surrounding the Toilet

McAllister adds that the floor and walls around the toilet are often overlooked. “This whole area is a splash and odor zone,” she says. “The dribbles are not always visible to the naked eye, but they are there.” Eek. 

She prefers to use her social media-famous cleaning recipe to de-grime these areas: 1 gallon of hot water, ⅓ cup of bleach, and 1 teaspoon of powdered Tide detergent. “Vacuum the area first, though, to suck up any dust and hair, and it will make this gross job a lot easier,” McAllister advises. Then work from the top down, wiping down the walls and scrubbing the floor around the toilet and the toilet skirt itself with a brush.

McAllister adds that you should pay close attention to the grout and any nooks or crannies, such as the edge where the toilet meets the floor, the curves on the skirting of the toilet, and the bolts that attach the toilet to the floor.

Around Faucet Handles

According to Galia Ivanova, owner of Cleaning Estimate, this one’s a sneaky spot. “I was helping a friend clean her home once, and she kept complaining that her bathroom still felt grimy even after scrubbing,” she says. “When I looked closer, I spotted a thin line of gunk hiding beneath the faucet handles. It’s completely out of sight unless you crouched down and really looked!” 

She recommends just quickly swiping around faucet handles with an old toothbrush dipped in warm, soapy water to do the trick.

Under the Sink Rim

“This one’s also subtle, but run your hand under the edge of your sink basin, and you might find a thin layer of residue,” says Ivanova. “It’s not as dramatic as some other spots, but cleaning it off with a sponge and a little mild cleaner leaves the sink area feeling much cleaner overall.”

Bathtub Exterior

Sure, you cleaned the inside of the tub, and that’s probably the most important thing! But you do need to clean the outside too. “Sure, we scrub the bathtub and the faucet inside, but the outside of the tub gathers dust and gets splashed by water and even urine if it’s close to the toilet,” McAllister says. She recommends vacuuming all ledges first, then use her Tide recipe or your favorite bathroom cleaner here and wipe it down. 

Shower Door Tracks

In addition to the tub exterior, people aren’t paying attention to the shower door tracks. “Soap scum and mold thrive in shower door tracks, making them one of the dirtiest areas in the bathroom,” says Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean. She suggests mixing baking soda and water and spreading the paste along the tracks. Let the solution sit on the tracks for about 10 to 15 minutes to soften the gunk. Then, scrub thoroughly with a small brush and rinse with water or wipe with a damp cloth. 

Ivanova adds that it’s easy to forget that the top of your shower frame or the rod holding your curtain gathers dust just like a bookshelf might. “I once reached up out of curiosity and felt a dusty film that blew my mind,” she explains. “Now, I just run a damp cloth along the top every few weeks. No one ever notices, I swear the bathroom feels brighter afterward.”

Bathroom Vents

These are typically so high up, people don’t even think about them. Out of sight, out of mind, right? “But bathroom vents often become clogged with dust and moisture, reducing airflow and spreading allergens,” says Sokolowski. 

To clean it, she suggests removing the vent cover and vacuuming away loose dust, then washing the vent cover in warm, soapy water. You can also soak it in a solution of water and vinegar. Rinse thoroughly and ensure the vent is dry completely before reinstalling. Finish by wiping the surrounding area with a damp cloth.

Toothbrush Holders and Chargers 

According to Sokolowski, residue from toothpaste and water can make toothbrush holders a breeding ground for germs and bacteria—you should really be cleaning your toothbrush holders weekly to keep microbes at bay. She suggests soaking the holder in warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of baking soda for 15 minutes, then scrubbing the inside and grooves with an old toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and let dry. 

McAllister adds that electric toothbrush chargers are also prone to being overlooked. “These are probably forgotten because the toothbrush is on the charger when cleaning the bathroom, so the buildup isn’t visible,” she explains. It’s easy to clean these though; spray them with your favorite bathroom cleaner, let them sit, and then wipe them down. “If hard water buildup is bad, place a vinegar-soaked paper towel on it, let it sit, and wipe it away once it has softened,” she suggests.