Routine house cleaning is not always the easiest – you want a clean house but you procrastinate, then you finally clean it and your house is dirty again.
If you’re not cleaning your house correctly, certain items stay dirty and that can be very frustrating. With that being said, do you often wait until it’s sunny to clean your windows? And do you think the more foam there is, the more effective the detergent will work?
The answers will surprise you and change your annual habits enormously. Helpling, the leading online marketplace for cleaning services, rounded up 8 cleaning mistakes that leave your home dirtier.
1. The more foam, the better
It is a common misconception that the foamier it gets, the more effective a detergent cleans. That’s a mistake! Too much foam inhibits fibre movement. This means that the dirt cannot be removed from surfaces efficiently. Hence, whether washing or wiping, let’s keep the foam to a minimum.
2. The sponge is the dirtiest cleaning tool
With over 10 millions germs, the sponge is generally seen as the dirtiest cleaning tool. However the mop, the real winner of dirtiest cleaning tools, moves one billion bacteria per ten square feet from room to room instead of cleaning them. After every use, wash the removable cloth at 60 degrees. A fixed fringe wiper needs to be exchanged every two months.
3. Sunshine is for cleaning windows
Even if the sunshine clearly reveals the dirty spots on the windows, that doesn’t mean you should grab the glass cleaner and squeegee right away. Through the heat from the sun, the cleaning water transpires on the glass panels much faster. This causes nasty streaks! Instead, be patient and wait for a less sunny day.
4. Removing vacuum cleaner bag when it’s full
Is your vacuum cleaner bag always overlooked and not changed until it’s about to explode? Well, that’s might be too late. Sand and dust can reduce the suction power; additionally, food leftovers can decompose in a warm environment. The evolving mold can lead to a bitter smell in the vacuum cleaner. Change the bag already when it’s two thirds full, approximately every six to eight weeks!
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5. Rubber gloves will protect us against germs
We like to slip on a pair of rubber gloves to protect ourselves against germs. But how well does it really protect us? Sweat or water that enters the gloves while cleaning can actually attract and multiply germs due its moist environment. To avoid this, sprinkle some flour into the gloves before using it to absorb any moisture. After cleaning, turn them around and air-dry.
6. The washing machine cleans itself with every run
The drum of the washing machine may look clean and fresh after each wash, but appearances are deceiving. As the moisture evaporates slowly, the drum is transformed into a germ incubator. To avoid spreading bacteria and bad odor, add 50g baking soda into the drum and fill up the detergent drawer with 50ml of vinegar. Run the machine without any clothes in it and the drum will soon smell fresh again!
7. Remove dust with a wet wipe
You just swiped a wet wipe over your furniture and to your horror, the dust returned immediately! This is because moisture attracts dust. Hence, a better option would be to use anti-static wipes. Additional tip: polish the surfaces with a mixture of water and a drop of fabric softener. This prevents the furniture from getting dusty so quickly.
8. Germs die in a freezer
You free your fridge regularly from bacteria – but what about your freezer? Did you know that germs hibernate from minus 18 degrees but will reactivate again as soon as it gets warmer? To avoid this, turn off the freezer, empty it and fill it with towels, close the door and defrost it overnight. On the next morning, wipe the surface with a vinegar-based cleanser to free it from bacteria.