The Most Common Cleaning Mistakes You Should Avoid

Humans are prone to making mistakes, it is not a lie. This holds true even when it comes to doing the chores around the household as well. Beyond everything else, nobody is perfect. Not many people realise it but they are making a lot of cleaning mistakes (been there, done that). The best part is that these mistakes can be easily avoided. When I find out that my friends and colleagues are making the same mistakes I used to make before, somehow I feel like I need to pass on my experience so we can all enjoy our free time to the fullest instead of spending it cleaning. If you have already rolled up your sleeves, shall we begin with this guide on how to avoid the cleaning mistakes?

1. Spraying Cleaning Products Directly on the Surface

It is not surprising at all that many people are doing this mistake. When you are about to clean a surface, you instinctively spray it with the solution. Of course, this works well on some type of surfaces, however, it is not the safest one for others. Next time you are cleaning an area, remember to spray the detergent on a cloth and then wipe the surface. You may need to use another dry cloth to wipe away the excess solution. If you are cleaning any type of electronic screens, wood surfaces or porcelain, you would better go for this cleaning method. The added benefit is that you will use even less solution so you can save money.

2. Not Cleaning the Sponge

What I offer you is to stop what you are doing now and think about all of the things you cleaned with the sponge the last couple of days or even weeks. Can you remember the last time you cleaned the sponge? I am sure it was a long time ago. Many people forget that sponges also need to be cleaned every once in a while as they become a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. It is a good fortune that you can easily clean the sponges – you can either put the sponge in a bowl of water and then microwave it, or you can put it directly in the dishwasher. Remember to do it once per week and once the sponge discolours, get yourself a new one.

3. Haste Makes Waste

No doubt, all of us want to do the cleaning in the quickest manner possible so that we can have free time to do the things we actually love doing. However, when you clean too quickly, you are creating more work for yourself in the long run. When we rush we often leave areas behind, miss stains, make mistakes, and move dust around instead of removing it. Take your time and make sure to do a proper cleaning because you would not want to clean the same areas twice, would you? If you are short on time, make sure to do just one particular chore but really well. When you have more time, do another chore with the same attention to detail.

4. Wash Windows When It Is Sunny

Avoid washing the windows on a sunny day, believe me on this. You may think it is a good idea to clean the windows when the weather is nice but the problem is that the sun heats up the glass. The end result? Streaky windows. It is because the solution dries before you can even squeegee the glass. So my advice is to leave this chore for an overcast day and I can assure you will be able to enjoy the perfect outcome on the next day.

5. Cleaning in A Circular Buffing Motion

When you are cleaning in a buffing motion, you may not realise it but you are actually moving the grime and dust from one area to the other. Try to clean from left to right so that you are moving the grime away till the surface is clean.

6. Forgetting to Empty the Vacuum

If you notice a funny smell when you are vacuuming it is because your vacuum is full. When the vacuum bag gets full, the vacuum cannot do the job in a proper manner. So when you are about to vacuum, do not forget to check the vacuum and make sure it is empty.

7. More Cannot Be Better

We need to know that the cleaning products we use were made to help us get a job done. Hence, we do not have to use so much solution to do the cleaning. Also, if you saturate the surface you are cleaning with the detergent it can be really challenging to remove it all without leaving streaks or sticky spots. You will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome if you simply use a little at a time.

8. Using Detergents On Electronics

Remember not to use any cleaning spray on electronics! You can simply use a very little amount of water on a cloth to clean them. The outcome will be just as fine.