6 Cleaning Mistakes You Should Avoid

Don’t Make These Cleaning Mistakes in Your Home!

You are probably spending most of your time at home during the pandemic. As a result, you are probably cleaning more often. Not only do you have more time to clean, but your house gets dirtier faster with everybody at home much more than usual. (You probably also noticed that you go through a lot more toilet paper, but that is off topic.) Avoid these six cleaning mistakes by using the items shown on the pillow and others.

Dusting

Dusting surfaces with a dry rag or a feather duster just moves the dust around. Some surfaces will look better, but most of the dust just flies around in the air and lands elsewhere. In addition, many dark surfaces will just end up streaked with dust.

It is best to use a duster that is designed to hold the dust. Swifter makes a duster that consists of a short plastic handle with a removable frilly dusting bonnet. This dusting bonnet traps the dust and can be tossed when it starts leaving dust behind. The plastic handle makes it easy to quickly reach surfaces and clean between objects. There is also a version with a long handle for reaching high surfaces, such as ceiling fans, and low surfaces, such as baseboards.

Another choice for dusting is a Guardsman Dusting Cloth. This cotton cloth is treated so that dust sticks to it. As a result,  the cloth captures the dust while leaving no residue. In addition, the cloth can be washed and reused.

Windows

Many articles suggest using newspaper, along with a spray cleaner, to clean window and other glass surfaces. This definitely belongs on a list of cleaning mistakes. The ink from the newspaper gets all over the glass and leaves a big mess. The original tip long ago must have been to use newsprint. This is an unprinted version of the paper used to print newspapers. The advantage of unprinted newsprint is that it does not leave lint behind. However it still does not work very well. Microfiber cloths sold for glass and household cleaning are a much better choice.

Also, don’t clean windows in direct sunlight. The sun will cause the cleaner to dry too quickly and leave streaks.

Pillows

In addition to washing your pillow cases, the pillow itself should be washed every three to six months. Dust, dust mites, body oils, and bacteria from your saliva get into your pillow. Check the label on your pillow for washing instructions.

Stainless Steel Appliances

While stainless steel appliances look nice, they are difficult to keep clean. When cleaning them, use a spray cleaner meant for stainless steel and a soft cloth. Contrary to the source article, you might need to wipe in circular motions to get the smudges and water tracks off. However, finish wiping in the direction of the grain in the stainless steel. As a result, you will be less likely to see streaks as the cleaner dries.

Switches and Remotes

While vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and cleaning the big stuff around your house, remember to clean the wall switches and remote controls. It is also a good idea to clean the keys on your computer keyboard and the mouse. These items all can harbor a major amount of bacteria. Use a disinfectant wipe or a clean cloth sprayed with a disinfectant spray or dampened with isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

Don’t Damage Your Fingernails

As you are cleaning around the house and avoiding the cleaning mistakes described above, be careful not to damage your fingernails or cut your fingers. If you come across dried blobs of food, drips of candle wax, or grime along edges and in corners, don’t use your fingernails. Grab a Scrigit Scraper cleaning tool to quickly remove these unwanted substances without damaging your fingernails or scratching the surfaces being cleaned. Use soapy water or a household spray cleaner first on substances that don’t come off easily.

Here is a link to the source article, though that post was based on a article written for Readers Digest.

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