Sometimes, visiting someone’s home can make you curious about their cleaning habits. While everyone has their standards, there are subtle clues that reveal how thoroughly a space has been cleaned. Whether it’s your host, spouse, or kids, these signs can help you gauge the cleaning effort.

1. Cluttered Corners
A room may look tidy, but check the corners, under furniture, and behind doors. Dust in these spots suggests a quick cleanup rather than a thorough job.

2. Lingering Odors
A genuinely clean home has a fresh scent. Overuse of air fresheners or candles might be masking unpleasant odors from dirty carpets, pets, or mildew.

3. Dust on Surfaces
Dust on shelves, electronics, or light fixtures indicates neglected cleaning. Regular dusting prevents accumulation.

4. Bathroom Grime
Bathrooms are revealing. Soap scum, mildew, or dust behind the toilet suggests a lack of deep cleaning. Sparkling fixtures and spotless tiles show attention to detail.

5. Kitchen Grease and Crumbs
Sticky counters, greasy cabinets, or crumbs in corners indicate superficial cleaning in the kitchen.

6. Pet Hair
Pet hair on furniture or lingering odors from litter boxes or unbathed pets are signs of inadequate cleaning.

7. Dirty Windows and Mirrors
Smudges or fingerprints on windows and mirrors are telltale signs of neglect.

8. Baseboards and Floors
Vacuum lines on carpets might suggest recent cleaning, but dirty baseboards or sticky spots on floors indicate missed areas.

These signs help distinguish between a quick tidy-up and a genuinely clean home.