NEVER Have These 20 Items In Your Home (If you hate cleaning!) 

Today I'm sharing 20 items and interior design features to never have in your home if you hate cleaning! These items look great but they are so hard to clean! Many of these things I have in my own home. Consider subscribing - I'd love to see you around my channel 😊 www.youtube.com/@tarynmaria_?...

The best advice you gave, was, "Don't buy a big house!" 😂😂😂😂

I'm almost 70 and have achieved the ultimate housecleaning hack. I took the seats out of my car, put a mattress in, put my things in storage and took off on a car camping adventure. No more housework!!!

A solution for the non ceiling cabinets is to put a sort of paper (newspaper, packpaper etc) and once a year roll it up, put it in the trash and get a new one on the cabinets. You will never have to shrub them etc. ...all dirt will land on the paper and it will get out of your house and cabinets if you change them.

Clear glass shower walls/door. Hate cleaning them.

Open shelving is a design mistake you only make once.

I agree with every single one of these, the only caveat is, I love a gas stove, and it’s worth it because all stoves are dirty and nasty no matter what type you buy. Gas all the way for me. Plus in an electric outage during a winter storm, you can eat and keep warm by your stove. Saved my dad and his sister in the winter storm that hit Texas 1 or 2 years ago.

Washable rugs and washable slip cover sofas are a game changer.

After 40 some years of house cleaning, your right on it, sister, great job.

I am a house cleaner and just want you to know I say "Amen!" to all of this! 😂 Also, tip for greasy dusty spots like the tops of kitchen cabinets, go to Lowes and get the Dawn Degreaser (it's a purple liquid). Spray it on and that stuff wipes away like magic.

I clean homes and seeing a black counter top is my nemesis. Dont put dark surfaces at all in your homes(bathroom/floors/counters/chandeliers etc.) So easy to see dust and grime easy Fyi: i use oxy clean as a solution to spray on small shower tile grout and let it sit. It whitens grout without all the individual scrubbing 😊

Yes for eggshell paint. When I was choosing paint for my new home, the realtor tried to convince me matte paint was better. I chose eggshell for the walls and semi-gloss for the doors and trim which is so much easier to clean and more durable. I have no regrets.

I'm an old house lover and in my opinion the trick to cleaning "elaborate baseboards" is using the brush attachment on your vacuum. Definitely a major improvement. Also, once you go induction on a stove you don't go back -- its the greatest

I had my shower renovated with one of those acrylic sheeting materials. All I can say is why use tile when these acrylic substitutes are available. I chose the sheets that look like subway tile and they look great. No grout!!!!!! Let me say again, NO GROUT!!!!!! I love it.

The cabinets that don’t go all the way up to the ceiling are the perfect place for your cats to hang out. 🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

I've used a hand-held shower head since the late 70's. That is a must have. We even carry a cheap one with us on vacations. Mu hub switches it out when we get there and switches it back when we leave. I'm short and I can't handle not being able to properly rinse my hair or my butt, lol.

If you have pets, don’t expect to keep a clean home….just lower your standards

When I visited my college boyfriend’s mother’s house….she was very proud of the fact that she was able to get the washer and dryer upstairs on the second floor. This was in 1978. She was told it just couldn’t be done. Sure it could. Maybe she had to carry a load of tea towels up from the first floor.

So many videos like this are ho hum and talk for 3 minutes on one topic just to get the length of the video longer. This was useful and well described without waffling too much. Thank you.

She has plantation shutters. So do I. I LOVE them. They keep out cold and let just the amount of light I want. I thank God for them. Not a fan of blinds but plantation shutters aren't like regular blinds.

I have windows with the blinds build in between the panes of glass. We decided on those when he had to replace all our windows. So easy to clean the windows now & no blinds to dust.

I have black granite with all the graining, more like marble, and I love it. It doesn't show anything. I love the coolness even ten years after installation, am still in love with them.

Use a sponge mop in very warm water & vinegar to clean baseboards. If you have cabinets that don't go all the way to the ceiling, cover the tops with wax paper or fabric.

I agree with almost everything. I love cooking with gas and will keep my gas stove. I won't ever have shower doors of any kind, not even glass. I prefer a nice curtain that I can toss into the washer. Although nice to look at, rough surfaces on walls in the kitchen, specially the backsplash behind the stove, are a nightmare to clean. When possible, I will have seamless slab without grout installed.

I don’t just hate cleaning, I’m really not good at it. Really…You’ve kicked my knowledge level up 10 notches. Now I know more about what I long suspected. THANK YOU 🙏

Before I designed my home I read a book about what to do and not do to cut down on cleaning. So many designers go for visual interest instead of practicality. Open shelving is crazy to have. If you have those stop short cabinets line the top with something that is loose so instead of scrubbing you pick it up and throw the gunk away. If you have glass shower doors also hang a shower curtain you can close while showering. No hardware on kitchen cabinets. There is a lot! Just think maintenance with all things.

I replaced my double basin stainless kitchen sinks with a single larger one. The downside is that it has a nearly flat bottom and square interior corners that collect gunk and is hard to get to in order to clean. Even rinsing off coffee maker items causes staining because it tends to pool on the bottom surface rather than drain. I ordered that sink in order to make it easier to clean pots and pans and it looked modern and fresh, but it’s really kind of gross and extra work.

I agree, dark surfaces are dust magnets. Was so happy to toss out black book shelf. Hated dusting that thing. Also light colored surfaces make your home look so much cleaner.

Long haired cats and rabbits have hair so fine that the shedding floats around forming dust bunnies under the furniture in a short timespan that get as big as the animal. It also clogs up the refrigerator coils. The short haired critters just cover your clothes when ever you have to get dressed up but the hair doesn’t spread on air currents. If you want a clean house don’t have kids or pets or cook in the house.

I agree about the washer and dryer, except that the best setup I saw growing up was a washer and dryer in another room that was like a mud room off of the kitchen. It was a little colder in winter, but it never got to freezing temperatures because it was insulated like the rest of the house but It had big windows to see the back yard. That way if we as kids tracked mud into the mud room or were wet or dirty, we could undress, put on a robe and leave the dirty or wet jeans and shirts out of the house so mom could wash it. It had a big metal free standing sink for presoaking clothes. It was an old farm house, and I think it had a genius set up.

We used satin finish paint on all our walls-not high shine but can clean easily. My ideal kitchen would have No upper cabinets 🎉& a decent-sized pantry. I absolutely agree about dark faucets, sinks, countertops, furniture, & floors. We have high lime-content water in KY and it’s awful to keep any fixtures clean & deposit-free. Plus the dark floors & furniture show every single speck of dust, dirt, thread, cat & human hair, etc. My next home will be a two-three bedroom condo with light floors, no wall-to-wall carpet, white walls, as little furniture as possible, and be cleanable in under two hours, including baths. Also, putting a laundry & full bath on the main level of a home is good for future use to age in-place if we want to do so. A dining room or office on that floor could later be converted to a bedroom. Terrific video!!

Wall mounted toilet sounds like a dream because you can keep it clean really easily

The hand-held shower head to clean the shower is the best👍🏼👍🏼 MY hose was about 5 ft. when I bought it and then I replaced it with a longer hose and it is PERFECT now.🙂🙂

I live in a Victorian house with all original fixtures. One awesome thing about antique claw-foot tubs is that they are so small and accessible that you can clean them, without climbing inside them, in about 90 seconds. When I see people having to climb around their bathrooms in order to clean them, having to mop under the tub suddenly seems like no big deal.

I remodel properties and take all of these things into account 😁 another thing that is hard to clean is textured travertine or stone backsplash, like why?? ceiling fans are another pain, but everyone likes them 😊 a little different but some light fixtures are extremely hard to change the bulbs, even needing special tools. I avoid that if possible.

Your video tackles a very relatable issue-choosing home items that are easy to clean. This is a great video for busy homeowners. Consider This 1. Pet Beds in Living Areas: They can quickly become a source of odors and pet hair. 2. Intricate Light Fixtures: Dust accumulates quickly, and they are hard to clean. 3. High-Maintenance Plants: Some plants require specific cleaning and care. 4. Rugs with High Pile: Harder to vacuum and clean compared to low-pile or flat-weave rugs. 5. Wicker Furniture: Difficult to dust and clean thoroughly.

I cleaned homes for people for a number of years. When we built our home we had hickory wood floors. They were the best. Our shower had 18” tiles as well as the bathroom floor. My sewing room had wood laminate. My counters were all granite and mixture of colors. Our last home was brand knew but someone else picked everything. What an idiot she had to of been. Come to think of it so was I for buying the house. Very dark vinyl laminate flooring which the dark was a pain but being laminate in vinyl is worse. I would never have it again. It shifts all the time then you have gaps. The installers were called back three times. The last time was just before closing for us to sell the house. You are right about mop boards. I hate them in my house that is 63 years old what a pain to try and keep them clean and we don’t have any kids at home. Cupboard doors with lots of fancy trim. Another bad idea. On the cupboards that don’t go to the ceiling. The day I move in I make sure they are really clean on top. Then I take a few packages of tissue paper. I cover the tops. About once a year I hop up on the ladder and pull the top layer off. And, they are all nice and clean again. When we have sold our homes I just pull off the top layer and it is clean for the next homeowner. Sometimes you might have to pull more than one layer at a time. I hate glass cooktop stoves. I had when and it was horrible to keep clean. I prefer gas. I never have a boil over because it is instant heat and instant off or no heat. All laundry rooms should be located on the same floor as the master bedroom. Builders will put them on the second floor. Okay but when the kids leave home guess who has to climb those stupid stairs a zillion times on laundry day. Master suites should also be on the main floor you won’t be young forever. As far as paint goes satin finish. It doesn’t shine but is easy to wipe handprints off from. Unlike matte finish what touches matte is their for the long haul. Storage is a necessity for all homes even for the minimalist. You need at least one set of guest towels and bedding so where do you put it if not in a linen closet. Also where does your vacuum or vac stick go? Broom and mop? My rule for keeping things since I have moved over 25 times in my life is. Have you used it in the past two years. I use two years because maybe you were out of town during a holiday or a season so you didn’t use it this past year but you did the year before. The other question is have you been looking for this item to use but couldn’t find it. Has happened to me. I loved your video.

Ahhh thank you so much for warning me about the black fixtures. I was thinking about getting some, but now I will be avoid them at all costs!

I agree with EVERY tip!!! We’ve bought 5 homes since we got married - condo, houses, and a flat. The flat was THE EASIEST - open floor plan, everything at one end (a lovely view/kitchen/dining room/living room/laundry closet/full bathroom) bedrooms and all master bathroom down the hall at the other end of the unit. Someday…when I retire I will be looking for a flat or ranch with this set up, makes EVERYTHING easier! Until then, the next time I consider an upgrade in my current home I’m going to watch your video again to refresh my memory so I don’t kick myself later ;-)

My washing machine and dryer is upstairs and I love it that way -- never have to lug laundry up and down stairs. I don't think I'd ever get a house without it upstairs.

Love it! Straight to the point with no extra long intro!

A high-quality wooden surface will last you for a number of years, without seeing a decrease in its antibacterial abilities. Unlike plastic alternatives, quality wood sources made from traditional manufacturing techniques contain self-healing fibers that can stand up against continuous cutting and chopping in the kitchen.

I deep cleaned our walk in shower a few weeks ago, and pulled the hose into the house from outside to rinse it all down. Made the task so much easier!

Oh my I am interior designer and I love to clean i also have 3 small kids and i agree on your list! That is an excellent video. Very helpful for a busy mom who wants to make her life better. ❤ thank for this and hope more people will see this!

I love my gas stove, Weiman gas stove cleaner and daily cleaner are my favorite cleaners to help clean it. We loose electricity when weather is not bad, during hurricane, winter, it is nice to be able to still cook with no electricity and not waiting for generator to be hooked up.

I have been on both sides of each of these arguments. You are right! Make the changes where you can folks! Appliance garages also help, reducing clutter.

Important for using wooden countertops: you have to let in the wood with oil (from ikea or just linseed oil, an oil which does not start to become rancid) then your tops will not look nasty at all! They are then sealed. But not suitable for cutting on. You definitely need a cutting board if you want to cut off a piece of bread, for example, otherwise you will get cuts in the wood. Use solid wood, not veneered wood if available!

Very good video. I am looking at some home projects coming up and this is good to think about. I do purposefully have minimum storage as I maintain a low, easy to manage inventory of “stuff”. All of my household must fit into the allotted containers I have. Decluttering my home was the best home project ever. And it is so much easier to clean

Pets and kids, lol

Love most all of your tips - disagree on the dark wood floors, though. I have "espresso bamboo" wood floors throughout my home and LOVE them. Used to have oak or white oak floors in my previous homes, and I'd always see pet hair floating around. Not on my dark floors; and it hides crumbs better until I can sweep/mop. Otherwise, I'm also a fan of a handheld shower - drove me crazy trying to clean/rinse the tubs and showers without this handy tool (and turn it on the massage feature and it "scrubs" the grout lines!). Don't like standalone tubs bc you have to clean the inside and the 4 outside surfaces (why would I want more to clean?!). And yes, you need places to store your stuff or your home will look more cluttered than it needs to be - my last house had closets ONLY in the bedrooms; where do you put your vacuum/mop/cleaning supplies? or your coats? or your towels/sheets? How did this house get built without any storage closets?!?!

Tip on grout cleanning. Easy to use is Mr. Clean magic eraser! So quick and less messy. I agree with you. My house is light color throughout.

Oh man is it nice to hear someone who agrees with me. So true, so true. I have had all of these irratating fixtures and now everything is changed, yeah!

These are really good tips! Definitely going to keep it in mind. We're renovating right now. We have a black sink (I think the former home owners switched it out, because it looked modern). It's beautiful, but it gets scratched and so dirty. Not so beautiful anymore. When we're changing up the old kitchen it's going.

All valid points. These were all considerations & factors that I had when I remodeled my kitchen & bath 😊.

Love this video, agree with everything! I have a few to add, coming from experience from my days of cleaning houses: suede sofas, molding on any surface (doors, cabinets, walls) because every ridge will collect dust within a week. Fancy “stone” sinks that can’t handle any cleaning materials, and bathroom sinks that are completely floor level so that the water doesn’t poor down but instead leaves a puddle at the bottom that you can only get rid of if you shove it down the drain with your hand. Not fun to do after every hand washing or tooth brushing session

The most remarkable thing about what you’ve said is that you and your husband were able to install a shower head together. And apparently you’re still married.

I agree with everything you say... except the glass cabinet doors. My mum is extremelly allergic to dust, but loves books. We, on the other hand, HATE cleaning. Ever since i changed to glass cabinet shelves,, I immediatly saw a great improvement. The dust is now controlled, the bookshelves look pretty, and all I do is use a towell and clean the glass. PERFECT! Loved the video😂

You said it! Agree with all your points from sad experience. One thing that is trouble with a capital T is metal windows. We live in a condo with metal windows that used to be constantly covered in condensation during the colder months. We had to remove all drapes, leave the blinds open day and night, air out our unit several times a day, keep the humidity in the 20-35 range (not healthy) and wipe off the window panes and metal frames at least daily. Even with all that, we would still get mould on the metal window frames. Putting two or three Moisture Grabbers (absorbent gel pillows) on each windowsill has helped, but still…. 😊

Hello Maria! I do have a black countertop that is actually great : it is stone, but with many grains and chunks of texture that reflect light in all directions inside. I swear it is dirty as hell and no one can tell XD

I am SO glad I finally got rid of all my window blinds! Now I have curtains on every window that can be free from dust. I agree with you about the gas stove grates, I can't stand those. It's so hard to get those clean.

Thank u, what u said is so relatable things that i forgot to recheck. It's a good reminder to reconsider a good renovation ❤

Blinds. It's quicker to take them down (mine just slide into and out of brackets), lay them down in the driveway and wash them off than to try to clean them with a sock or whatever. Just a couple of minutes a couple of times a year.

Storage: I didn't realize deck boxes existed. I went for a walk here in my townhouse neighborhood, and noticed people had these boxes with tops that open like a freezer sitting on their decks, behind their townhouse. Different sizes. They looked like plastic basket weave. What a great idea for my plant pots, garden supplies that were cluttering up my basement. I went online and found them. Ordered a big one and when it arrived in sections my daughter and I had a laugh fest putting the thing together. What a great find. Now my deck box has plant pots, sheers, tools, pails and poisons I use in the garden, and everything stays there all year round. I live in New England so it gets cold yet all those supplies are safe, and I can walk around my basement without tripping on them.

Worthwhile video for me. I'm getting ready to remodel my downstairs hall bath and was going to use black fixtures both for the lighting and the sink faucet. But now I think I will reconsider

You are absolutely right on all counts. I have fixed many of these problems but still working on some.

Excellent video and some new ideas for me, as I think about home updates. Call me unromantic, but I always think about cleaning when looking at home features and decor. I probably agree on everything, but I do like my window blinds to minimize fabrics (you mentioned allergies, and I will add asthma). Thanks!

I had honed black granite countertops in a condo, and I loved them.

Thanks for such a practical video!!! I see a lot of interior design videos that use items which look absolutely impractical to clean, especially for families with kids. Thanks for being realistic about this side of it.

Love the video! I really appreciate that aside from saying to avoid those items and why, you also gave us suggestions on alternatives or strategies to keep up with those items!

We built our home and my only regret was the white farmhouse sink with the stainless steel grate in the bottom. The grate was there to protect the sink from scratches from pots and pans but that grate got disgusting! I was constantly cleaning every square and spraying the slime out of the 4 feet. I hated it!!! My next sink will be stainless steel.

Awesome 👏 video! 100% agree on everything. Had black quartz countertops in our old condo, never again. 😊

Bingo!!! You are so absolutely right! Especially a huge house. We hv just moved from a 5500sqft bungalow to a small 1547sqft apartment. The amount of work is almost 90% less plus the clutter! Tqvm

Finally a really smart video to make decorating or clean easier. You go girl!

Such a unique and fun video! I'm a renter with no plans to take on the burdens of home ownership, but this gave me a lot to think about in terms of looking for a new place. I love to organize and declutter but HATE to clean, so I'm all about making cleaning as simple as possible, even if that means sacrificing some things that seem aesthetically pleasing on the surface. Love your videos!

EVERY SINGLE POINT WAS 💯% true!! Gratitude!

I loved your video! ❤ I am an architect in Brazil, but I have lived in Canada and the US. I have lived in many places, more than 20, and you are absolutely RIGHT! As with the matte paint, I prefer it. But with kids at home it’s a NO! Or dogs and cats that love to rub against the wall. N my forever home I have it only on my bedroom. Kids are adults, but now I have dogs, cats and a grandson!

great tips! these are all things i have to think about as i am slowly renovating my home.

I'm very allergic to dust but I prefer mini blinds to drapes because of dust accumulation. To clean them I simultaneously dust and vacuum them (while wearing a mask). Here's where it gets weird: A couple times a year I take them down and swish them back and forth in the bathtub with warm soapy water and scrub them with a soft brush, then rinse with the shower head. It's a little labor intensive, but for me it's worth it because mini blinds accumulate much less dust than cloth drapes (which I would have to wash weekly).

Carpets!!! The dirtiest thing in your home!! So gross!!

Just watched your Pt 2 video before Pt 1. Wow! Such cool advice! We have a house built in 1990 which we bought in 2020. Lots to handle! As we are working every year to tackle various tasks - lighting, window treatments, etc, I really appreciate what you have said here! Thx!

I just started this video and already love it!! Brilliant! Thank you!!

I finally saved enough to remodel my kitchen and had it done in August 2023. I loved seeing that you agreed with so many of my choices. My hubby thought some of my "wants" were crazy but let me go for it. I think our neighbor encouraged him to go with it the "happy wife, happy life" thing. Anyway my hubby recently told me how much he liked my selection of cabinets (to the ceiling), under-mounted sink for easy cleaning, speckled countertop, deep drawers for the bulk of the base cabinets, and a glass top stove. If I could change anything, I would have gotten a new dishwasher with 2 drawers so we could use it more frequently. There's only 2 of us so it would make sense and then have the option of using both drawers when we have company.

I agree with you on most of these with one exception. I am talking from experience here. You never want to put large tiles on your bathroom floor or shower stall because they are unbelievably slippery. I made this mistake in our house and regretted it big time.

You just made me feel better about having a small apartment, although it still takes me a long time to clean.

Thank you for another great video. I agree with all of these! I have a suggestion for the cabinet tops. Mine have a 2-inch lip at the top so you can't dust them. What we did was to get inexpensive building foam...we got 1 inch thick and cut 2 pieces for each cabinet since it was cheaper. After a thorough cleaning, we put the foam in the lip. The top piece of foam has contact paper on it. It's easy to dust and once a year I can take it down and wipe it off with a damp towel. I hope this helps someone.

Agree about the matte paint. I love eggshell. It's great!

will never give up my gas stove! I can cook when the power goes out, which is often in my area. Ice storm of "98, I had everyone coming to my house for a hot meal.

Couldn't agree more with this list. I love my Red/Cherry hardwood floors, but damn are they a constant chore to keep clean. The undermount sink is one of my favorite additions when I re-modeled the kitchen. The next house will have wall mounted toilets for sure!

extremely useful. At the moment I can't afford to rennovate my home, but this has helped me appreciate what I do have as compared to what I would have done wrong if I changed it based on some of the items you named that I would have wanted.

Love my gas range! I don't have problems cleaning it. The grates go in the dishwasher and I have a liner that is put on the top rack to clean. It was ordered and made to fit my stove.

White leather or vinyl couches are fine and easy to clean. It’s the FABRIC ones you need to steer clear of 😉

I appreciate all these tips! My home is about 30 years old and it's time for the kitchen to be refurbished. I'm very flexible about what new items I pick because right now I can't afford my dream kitchen, plus, I hate things that are hard to keep clean. Thanks for the tips about the dark shiny countertops, dark fixtures and fdark loors. I'm sure they are beautiful and it never would have occurred to me that these items can get dirty so easily. And, these items would certainly look beautiful in a company showroom so I will look away when I finally move forward with the kitchen renovation. Thanks again for the great tips!

A tip I'd recommended if you live in a place that doesn't have cupboards that go to the ceiling is to cover it with news paper or a sheet or something so you don't have to keep dusting it. When I moved, I scrubbed it once and put foil down so the dust couldn't resettle on the wood.

These are very helpful tips! On the flipside of avoiding black counters and floors, don't get plain white either. Same deal... every single speck shows up. Black faucets are awful as you mentioned too and water spots are not as visible on brushed metal than something like a shiny chrome. Speaking of water spots, glass shower doors are a major pain to keep clean as well. We have the type with a texture in the glass so the spots aren't noticeable from the outside but a washable fabric shower curtain could be a good alternative. Bath mats are really only washable if they're like thick towels with no backing. The last one I can think of are intricate light fixtures like ornate chandeliers that are really tricky to dust. If you can get something simple that fit standard light bulbs, that will make your life easier. Oh, and instead of blinds, I wish I hadn't bought curtains with grommets. My partner doesn't want me to put them in the washing machine because of the metal and curtains that are just entirely fabric would also be easier to put on and take off with simple curtain rings with clips.

Glass cook tops are so inconvenient for me. If I drip anything on the burner while cooking it burns and then I have to scrub it off. Ahhh. Can’t wait to have a gas stove!!

I just bogutha house 3 years ago and fixed it - and I am happy to say, other than having washing amchine on another level (and toiled on the floor, but this can;t be changed in my country), I've been smart enough to avoid all other issues :) great video

I have a matte black Moen basic pull down with a button faucet in my kitchen and I’ve had it for 4 years and I’ve never “cleaned” it. I wipe the dust off occasionally like every few days. I wipe up the water around the base in the evening after I load the dishwasher. I have ZERO problem. I have matte black faucets in the kids bathroom. I overnight soak a microfiber cloth in vinegar and wrap it around the base of the faucet to remove hard water and toothpaste. In the morning it’s perfectly clean. I LLOVE my matte black fixtures!! It looks so good in my home. I have darker sage green cabinets, white/grey/black speckled quartz countertops and brass knobs and the black looks so beautiful with it all.

Very had a pantry in a kitchen and never wanted one. Bought a older home with a walkin 46 × 40 pantry and wow what a wonderful organized STORAGE. Agree with your suggestions because HATE CLEANING 😊

I get the idea of not having the washer and dryer in the basement. I hate going down there. However, the first time it overflows you get the wisdom of basement placement.

Great Video! Great Advice! We are doing a home & thank you! I just mentioned some of these "Never Have" items with my husband.