From basic maintenance and upkeep to improving the overall appearance and health of your home, regular house cleaning can be beneficial. Even though most people know how to sweep and do the dishes, cleaning properly requires a good amount of understanding and effort. Fortunately, help is available. With this guide, you will learn how to avoid a few common cleaning mistakes to ensure your home is not only clean and maintained but also appealing and healthy.
1. Doing It All Yourself
One of the most common mistakes people make is thinking they have to do all the cleaning themselves. In reality, cleaning your house in the most effective manner possible will take up a large amount of time, which you most likely do not have available. Therefore, consider hiring a cleaning service.
Cleaning professionals will handle household tasks, so you can spend your time elsewhere. You can choose to have quality time with your family, which is a priceless benefit, or invest your time on your own career or hobbies.
Having the time to spend with family/friends, working on your career, or enjoying hobbies instead of cleaning, may also reduce stress and anxiety levels as well. This improved emotional health ensures hiring professionals to clean the house will be a smart investment for you and your family.
2. Mixing Cleaning Solutions
Some cleaning products should not be mixed. For example, you may use products that contain bleach and ammonia to clean a shower's tile and glass doors, but this combination can be hazardous to your health.
While surprising to learn, inhaling bleach and ammonia together, especially in a small shower that does not have sufficient ventilation, can harm your respiratory system and even burn your throat.
Other dangerous combinations include using different types of drain cleaners together, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, vinegar and bleach, and even baking soda and vinegar. Even though some of these products are considered natural, mixing them can irritate your skin, eyes, and airways all while possibly corroding your plumbing lines and fixtures.
3. Vacuuming First
If you are determined to clean yourself, you may have a preference on what order to clean different rooms and surfaces in. Unfortunately, this order may not be most effective for cleaning and maintaining a clean home.
Most experts recommend working from the top bottom. This means you should start cleaning your upper levels of the home first and work your way down towards the bottom level. This also means you should work from the top of a room to the floor, so saving the floors for the very last step is ideal.
When you wipe down counters and dust furniture, you will also push dirt, dust, and debris down onto the floors. Instead of cleaning the floors first, mop or vacuum last so the floors will end up free of any dust and other residues
4. Neglecting to Clean Your Cleaning Tools
Dirt, dust, food crumbs, and other debris will build-up on your brooms, dusting tools, and vacuum. If you continue to use these tools without cleaning them, you will only cause dust and dirt to circulate more throughout the home.
To prevent this situation, follow these tips:
- Knock off broom bristles regularly.
- Shake off any dusting tools and replace them periodically.
- Soak the mop heads in a hot, soapy solution, rinse, and allow them to dry before you reuse them.
- Clean vacuum hoses and attachments every month or as necessary.
- Empty the vacuum container or bag once a week.
- Replace dish and other cleaning sponges every two weeks.
If you avoid these cleaning mistakes, you can easily keep a clean and appealing home without a great deal of time and stress. For assistance, contact NorthStar Cleaning & Property Services today.
