Everyone has their preferences when it comes to how their household runs. From heating and cooling to interior design. This also rings true for the way people clean their homes. Everyone has their own way of cleaning, but what’s right and what’s wrong? Is there a proper way to clean? This blog aims to discuss exactly that, so keep reading on as we reveal common home cleaning mistakes and how to avoid them.

#1 Let’s start in the kitchen where most household mess occurs

THE DISHWASHER

The dishwasher, an absolute saviour for busy families or for those who dread the dishes. Dishwashers are an extremely serviceable appliance to have in your home and to guarantee their longevity, make sure to avoid these common mistakes:

• Forgetting to empty and clean the filter at least once a month
• Forgetting to top up rinse aid
• Overloading dishwasher cycles – bulking up too much could result in the soapy water not reaching all of the dishes completely
• Putting metal or wooden utensils in the dishwasher

THE SINK

Kitchen sinks are one of, if not the most used part of a home. It’s absolutely imperative you are cleaning it regularly and correctly.

For a sparkling and spotless stainless steel sink, carry out the following:

1. Give your sink a thorough rinse
2. Sprinkle baking soda all over the sink
3. Squirt dish soap on a clean sponge or cloth
4. Start scrubbing!
5. Sanitize
6. Clean taps
7. Deodorise the drain
8. ALWAYS DRY YOUR SINK (undried stainless steel can lead to stains)

Note – Never use a scourer sponge on stainless steel, this can lead to scratches

Fact – Acid and salt from food can damage the finish on your sink

SPONGES

As ironic as it sounds, you’ll want to make sure what you’re cleaning with is clean itself. The most common place people go wrong is by continuously using old dirty sponges that appear to look fine. Whilst you may not be able to see germs and food buildup, it is certainly there. Be sure to either sanitise or replace all your sponges every few days. This is also relevant for tea towels, hand towels and other cleaning cloths.

Note – Using the same cloth for all areas of the home is a big no no. Doing this has the potential to spread germs and bacteria throughout the house. Keep bathroom, kitchen, laundry, etc all separate.

BINS

Just because you take the rubbish out each night does not mean all the rubbish is gone. Germs and bacteria will thrive in rubbish bins. Therefore be sure to wipe down bins inside and out, at least once a week with a disinfectant spray or wipe.

#2 The laundry – also known as the cleaning room of a home.

What laundry mistakes are you making…let’s find out.

DETERGENT

A common mistake people often make is this… adding more detergent / washing powder to the washing machine = cleaner clothes. This is far from true and in fact can somewhat negatively impact the wash and instead stop stains from coming out.

FABRIC SOFTENER

Similar to washing powder and detergent, adding too much fabric softener won’t make bedding softer but will in fact have the opposite effect – greasy sheets and less absorbent towels. Avoid this by using a measuring cup instead of free pouring fabric softener and stick to the prescribed quantities.

Clothes washing tip – Always remember to separate colours in the wash to avoid those red clothes bleeding onto your plain white t-shirt. Consider having a separate basket for whites and colours to avoid having to separate later on.

Other tips to keep in mind:

NEVER SPRAY POLISH DIRECTLY ONTO THE FURNITURE

This not only creates build up, but can make furniture more prone to catching dust and other unwanted particles. The best way to dust furniture is to spray a cloth with the cleaning product and then use this to wipe the intended surface.

EMPTY YOUR VACUUM CLEANER OFTEN

Vacuum cleaners do a fantastic job at cleaning floors, but they can only do so much. To ensure maximum performance, remember to clean your vacuum cleaner by emptying its filter. If not emptied, these filters will develop a build up of dirt and dust over time – meaning it’s going to struggle to do its job effectively.

DISINFECT REMOTE CONTROLS AND MOBILE PHONES

Remote controls and phones of all kinds are high touch point objects. If not daily, then at least every week you should be giving these a wipe down with a disinfectant wipe or the like. Similar to remote controls, taps, handles, doorknobs, light switches etc are also high touch points and should be disinfected regularly too. Try carrying a wipe in your hand and just move around room to room to see what your hands make contact with.

WIPE IN CIRCLES

So how do you get streak free glass, stainless steel and the like? Wipe vertically instead of in circles. There’s nothing worse than getting the job done, just to see your handy work so clearly evident in the circle streak marks remaining afterwards.

CLEANING WITH CHEMICALS AND SURFACES

1. Wood – soap and water on a damp cloth
2. Stainless steel – clean cloth and hot water
3. laminate benches and flooring – warm cloth/ mop with mild detergent

There you have it – home cleaning mistakes and how to avoid them. We hope you learnt something from reading this article and can find space to include it in your own personal household cleaning. Remember to use separate cloths for different areas of the home, suitable chemicals for different surfaces, organic cleaning products where necessary and most of all, do not forget to clean the spaces that often get forgotten. Happy cleaning!