1).Washing windows in the sun – Many of us will intentionally wait for the weather to get nice and sunny before we start washing our windows. But washing windows in direct sunlight will likely leave them streaky. Instead, try cleaning your windows when the weather is overcast, or later in the afternoon. If you are worried about how long they will take to dry, use a window squeegee, which will work faster.
2). Spraying surfaces with cleaning spray – This is another common mistake that most of us are guilty of making. When you spray your cleaning solution directly onto the surface, it can leave behind a grimy layer of residue. Instead, spray the solution onto a cloth and then wipe the surfaces clean.
3). Thinking vinegar cleans everything – While it is great if you use homemade cleaning solutions, such as vinegar and lemon, they don’t work on all surfaces and should be kept away from some materials altogether. For example, vinegar can damage hardwood and wax floors, and it doesn’t eliminate carpet stains. While the smell of vinegar can mask the unpleasant smell of the stain it doesn’t actually treat the source, so you will still need a stain remover to tackle the problem.
4) Spraying electronics – It is true that electronics around the house can sometimes get dusty and dirty, but you should never spray them directly, as that can cause water damage and break the technology. Instead, use a microfiber cloth to remove the dust and any smudges.
5) Scrubbing carpet stains – For most of us, as soon as we spill something on the carpet the natural reaction is to start scrubbing vigorously at the stain. This can actually damage the carpet by untwisting the fibres, which is unfixable damage. Instead, when you spill something, try and remove as much of the excess as you can and then proceed to blot the stain with a cloth – carry on until no colour gets transferred from the stain. Once the stain is dry, treat with stain remover.
6) Thinking your washing machine is clean – It seems logical that as the machine cleans our clothes, it should be clean itself. However, the damp and dark washing machine is a great place for germs to breed and transfer onto the things we wear. Throw in a cup of bleach and set the machine to a hot cycle once a week to get rid of the bacteria, and debunk this myth!
7) Forgetting the germ spots – Of course we all clean our sinks, toilets and floors, but most of us forget about the spots that harbour the most bacteria – door handles, light switches, bins and toothbrush holders. As you often touch these surfaces, include them in your cleaning routine to prevent the germs from spreading.
