If you’ve been neglecting giving your home a good deep clean, you aren’t alone. According to statistics, 33 percent of people believe they aren’t cleaning their homes often enough. When you’re ready to face the task, make sure you get the job done right by avoiding these common household cleaning mistakes.
1. Cleaning in the Wrong Order
The order in which you clean your home matters. Always start with the highest surfaces, such as ceiling fans, light fixtures, and high shelves. From there, work your way down to the floor. Otherwise, you’ll knock dust and debris back onto the lower surfaces you just cleaned.
2. Stirring up Dust
Feather dusters and most rags stir up more dust than they remove. According to the CDC, dust and other indoor pollutants can trigger asthma attacks and allergies.
Dusting is tricky. Your best bet is to use a microfiber cleaning cloth, which traps dust rather than moving it around.
3. Attempting to Disinfect Dirty Surfaces
Before you can effectively disinfect a surface, you’ll need to ensure it’s free of any debris. From there, you can apply the disinfecting solution. If you attempt to apply it on a dirty surface, the disinfecting properties will be ineffective.
4. Neglecting the Walls
Much like the other surfaces in your home, walls need to be cleaned regularly. Ignoring them will lead to more dust in the rest of your home. Use a bucket of warm water with a little dish soap and a damp rag to wipe the walls clean.
5. Using the Wrong Cleaner
Granite, marble, and quartz countertops have special needs. If you use the wrong cleaner, it can damage them. Wipe these countertops with a damp cloth, and then use a non-acidic cleaner designed to protect and seal the stone.
6. Ignoring Clutter
It can be tempting to ignore the clutter in your home. You’re a busy person, and the process of decluttering can be intimidating. That said, the longer you let the clutter build up, the bigger a job you’ll be facing.
Spending a weekend decluttering your home is a worthwhile use of your time. For one, decluttering will likely have a noticeable effect on the way you feel. Most people get so used to the clutter that they don’t realize how much stress it causes them. Decluttering now will also make your next big cleaning project easier.
7. Overusing Bleach
Bleach is thought of as a go-to cleaning product, but it’s too harsh to use on a regular basis. It can also be dangerous when mixed with other cleaning products, such as vinegar or ammonia.
If you do choose to use bleach, use it for disinfecting rather than basic cleaning. Mix a half cup of bleach with a gallon of water to create a disinfectant for any non-porous surface. For general cleaning, stick to a gentler household cleanser.
8. Reusing the Same Old Rag
Be careful using rags versus paper towels. Sustainability is great, but using the same rag for different areas of the home can spread dirt and germs.
It’s best to assign rags to certain areas. That way, you don’t risk cleaning the kitchen counter with a rag you once used to clean the toilet. You can categorize your rags by staining them with permanent markers.
9. Doing too Little for Your Disposal
Sinks and garbage disposals are breeding grounds for bacteria, which thrive in the warm, wet environment. Food particles can also build up in the drain over time, leading to bad smells.
To clean your disposal, dump two cups of ice and one cup of salt down your drain. Run the cold water and turn on the disposal. The combination of ice and salt will scrub any food particles from your disposal blades.
10. Skipping the Nooks and Crannies
Ceiling fans, baseboards, and the gaps underneath furniture are all commonly forgotten areas. Cleaning these areas will reduce the dust in your home, improving air quality.
Helping Hands Cleaning Services: Get Your Quote Now
The best way to avoid household cleaning mistakes is to let the professionals handle the job. The customized cleaning packages from Helping Hands give you control over your home cleaning schedule. From a yearly deep clean to a weekly touch up, our friendly crew will keep your home in tip-top shape.
Helping Hands is proud to offer cleaning and disinfecting services to people in and around Elmhurst, Illinois. Request your quote today, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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