Family-run cleaning business, Premium Clean, has noticed that when it comes to cleaning our homes, many people are making cleaning mistakes which are doing more harm than good to their houses, so check out the below list that they have put together and make sure you are avoiding these housework blunders to ensure your home is as clean and healthy as possible.
Using Dirty Cleaning Tools
It is essential that when cleaning your home, you are using clean cleaning tools. Dirty tools will spread germs and dirt around your house more than you would realise, so after each clean, thoroughly clean any devices you use, including things such as your mop, broom, dustpan and brush, cloths and feather dusters.
Not Cleaning Before Disinfecting
Surfaces should be thoroughly cleansed before you disinfect them because disinfectants are less effective if dirt, dust, or grime is present. After all, it makes it harder for the chemicals to kill the bacteria, so always wipe down before disinfecting!
Rubbing Stains Instead of Blotting
Stains rubbed into a carpet are one of the most common problems we encounter here at Premium Clean. It is so important to blot any spillages with a clean cloth or kitchen towel, to soak up as much of the liquid as possible without rubbing! Rubbing a stain can cause the fluid to seep deeper into the carpet or upholstery, causing more extensive stains that become harder to remove and damaging the fabric.
Wiping Surfaces Too Soon
After spraying anti-bacterial spray onto a surface, you must leave it for at least a couple of minutes for it to do its job and kill all the bacteria. If you wipe too soon, the cleaning spray will have the same effect as using just water.
Cleaning Surfaces with Sponges
This is a big no! Sponges harbor thousands of germs and are one of the most dirty things in our kitchens. If you are cleaning surfaces with a dirty sponge, you are spreading those germs around and making your surfaces dirtier than they were to start with, so ditch the sponge for a clean cloth!
Using the Same Cleaning Cloth Around the House
This is similar to using a sponge – once you have used a cloth to clean something, it must be washed before it can be used again to clean another area. You will probably have quite a few clean clothes for cleaning your whole house, so it’s good to purchase lots of clothes and then pop them in the washing machine together on a hot wash after every use. Top tip: rinse them before putting them in the washing machine to keep them cleaner.
Not Providing Proper Ventilation
Ventilation is as essential for our houses as it is for our health. The air inside our homes can contain elevated levels of dust, moisture and odours, which put the house at risk of mold growth, so open your windows and doors as often as possible to let fresh, healthy air in for your home and your lungs.
Cleaning from the Ground Up
If you are cleaning from the ground up, you are making much more work for yourself! It may not be enough for you to have noticed, but once you start cleaning the higher areas, small amounts of dust or grime you haven’t picked up with your cloth will fall to the ground or lower surfaces. This means you will have to go over places you have already cleaned or cleaned again sooner because the dirt and dust have built up more quickly than they should have.
