Cleaning and household chores are not among your favorite activities? Yet they must be done sooner or later. Here are the 9 most common mistakes and how to avoid them
1 – Using the wrong cleaning products
There are many maintenance products depending on the task to be performed. Care must therefore be taken not to use the wrong cleaning products for the wrong uses. This can easily damage your surfaces. For example, especially with a ceramic hob, on a sink and other delicate surfaces, too harsh cleaners should not be used. And the sponge or cloth you use should be soft. Otherwise, you run the risk of scratching the surface or using overly abrasive cleaners that will attack your paintwork. In case of heavy soiling, you can lather with water and leave to soak – the dirt can then be removed more easily and gently. How you wipe is also important:
2 – Be disorganized in the household process
A common household mistake is to start in the wrong order and without thinking. Not very motivated, you start vacuuming , then dusting – but wait! Because the dust from the furniture falls on the floor and you’re good to vacuum again. Just like when you clean your bathroom, it’s also important to clean from top to bottom. Likewise, when doing tasks like hanging laundry or making beds, think about when you do them. Put those chores higher on the to-do list and only vacuum after they’re done.
3 – Forgetting to clean certain elements
Telephones, remote controls, trash cans, switches and door handles, the refrigerator and carpets are often forgotten during cleaning. Yet these are important elements that are often touched or stepped on. Germs and bacteria survive for up to 72 hours on these surfaces, which is especially devastating during the cold season. Regularly clean these places and objects. You can even use alcohol from time to time. Take a cotton ball and soak it. You can then wipe the affected areas. Your trash can should also be thoroughly cleaned from time to time, which helps prevent bad odors from coming from the bottom of the container. Just rinse and scrub thoroughly with water and dish soap, then let dry. VS’
4 – Think about the splashback and the wall tiles
Do you often leave aside the wall tiles and the splashback? Yet dirt and germs accumulate there just like on other surfaces. Grease and germs from cooking settle on the kitchen wall tiles and backsplash. Also in the bathroom, the tiles are attacked by cosmetics, hairspray and dust. It is therefore necessary to wipe them regularly so that they remain clean and for a long time.
5 – Properly maintain rags and sponges
Another common mistake is simply rinsing cloths and sponges after cleaning, instead of cleaning them properly in order to reuse them optimally the next time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with reusing, especially considering the environment. However, you must ensure that the rags and sponges are clean after cleaning. Just throw them in the washing machine. This way you also ensure that all bacteria are eliminated and you can start hygienically again during your next cleaning marathon.
6 – Do not ventilate
Before starting to clean your home, the most common and recommended thing is to ventilate it well in order to renew the air. Open the windows wide. Take off your sofa covers and bed sheets and shake them out. It may seem trivial, but to ventilate properly, it is essential to remove blankets and sheets. The same goes for cabinets. They must be left open during the airing time to prevent odors and dust mites from accumulating there. Once everything is well ventilated, you can continue with the cleaning, such as changing sheets or blankets.
7 – Apply the cleaner to the cloth rather than the furniture
To clean furniture, do you apply your cleaning product directly to the surface of your furniture? This is a mistake, because the best thing to do is to dampen a cloth or wipe with this specific cleaning product. With a damp cloth, cleaning is done much more optimally, both for the use of the cleaning product and for the maintenance of the surface of the furniture.
8 – Load the dishwasher incorrectly
The dishwasher is one of the most used and useful household appliances. Its large storage capacity for dirty dishes and utensils makes it the star cleaning product. However, one of the most common mistakes is placing large pots and pans in the bottom load of the dishwasher. It is therefore impossible to optimally clean glasses and kitchen utensils located in the upper part of the dishwasher. For this reason, it is always better to clean large pots by hand or to activate a washing program for pots and other such utensils. In this way, all the elements that you put in the dishwasher will be washed perfectly.
9 – Clean the windows at the right time
Many people clean their windows on sunny days. The reason is that they think it will dry surfaces faster and make them look better, but nothing could be further from the truth. The best time to clean these surfaces is early in the morning or in the evening. This will prevent the product from drying out and the glass from becoming dull or foggy. This is what happens if direct sunlight hits the glass.