12 Cleaning Myths That Do More Harm Than Good

Indeed, white vinegar is a universal cleaner that is suitable for many surfaces. But there are some household items you shouldn’t clean with.

As Alice Shaw-Beckett, creator of a cleaning advice portal, explains, vinegar can damage marble, granite, slate, grout, rubber, waxed and untreated wood, cast iron, television and smartphone screens and monitors. Also, don’t wash your pets’ beds with it – the strong smell of the product may cause cats and dogs to mark the “smelly” area.

You should not believe in the super power of soda if you need to clean without harming your health: soda removes dirt and stains very well, but it does not disinfect. It also has an additional disadvantage: although it is very soft, it is nonetheless an abrasive which can damage surfaces requiring delicate maintenance – mirrors, glass, parquet and furniture made of wood, marble, aluminum, gold, ceramic hobs and any object with cracks or grooves.

“Recommending using a feather duster is not good cleaning advice,” says Alice. “In fact, these pipidastras only move the dust accumulated in the house and do not collect it.” Shaw-Beckett herself prefers to use microfiber wet wipes: studies show they trap about 95 percent of dust and bacteria.

Oh, seriously? In the dishwasher, each plate is exposed to very hot water and detergent for an hour – it’s simply impossible to repeat this in craft mode! Additionally, using the machine saves water, even if the load is incomplete. Of course, there are some things that are better to wash by hand (for example, a wooden cutting board or a delicious porcelain teapot that you inherited from your grandmother), but it is best to throw away the rest of the dishes in the car, without listening to harmful cleaning advice in the spirit of “if you’re tired, you can’t” be considered a good housewife. »

The idea of ​​using newspaper to clean windows seems at first glance to be an effective cleaning technique, as it allows the glass to dry without leaving streaks or lint. However, this tip has long been outdated: instead of getting your hands dirty with ink and leaving micro-scratches on the glass with hard paper, it is better to use a microfiber cloth or a special cleaner rubber windows.

An unsafe cleaning practice is thinking that your washing machine, dishwasher, and mop can clean themselves because they regularly interact with detergents and water. In fact, all of these objects are at risk: they remain damp for a long time and therefore constitute an ideal place for bacteria to multiply. So remember to wash your mop head and run your dishwasher and washing machine in cleaning mode once a month.

According to Alice, the drink does indeed contain acids that give the desired effect, but it takes a long time to wait for it – it will require soaking for several hours, or even better overnight, and besides, soda does not destroy bacteria. According to Shaw-Beckett, proper cleaning methods involve the use of special products, for example a good disinfectant spray or regular bleach.

“Bleach is effective at killing germs and brightening surfaces, but it is not effective at removing grease,” says consumer products expert Carolyn Forte. “So it’s great for mold control and disinfecting, but not great for cleaning a stove or, say, a countertop that has oil marks on it.”

Oddly enough, it’s better to put too little detergent in the machine than to add too much. Firstly, the resulting foam prevents objects from rubbing against each other, and this is precisely the essence of washing. Second, if there is too much product, it will not be completely removed when rinsing and the fabric will become dull and stiff.

Another incorrect cleaning method is to apply a cleaning product to the surface and remove it immediately. As the cleaning company’s director, Debra Johnson, explains, you definitely need to study the label and follow the directions – for example, some disinfectants need 10 minutes to destroy bacteria.

“The quality of your laundry depends more on the detergent than the water temperature,” says Deborah. — The cold preserves the color and quality of clothes, and also removes certain types of stains better. It is best to use hot water if things are very dirty or if the clothes have been worn by a sick person and need to be disinfected.

Also read: What to add to water to make your sink shine like new after washing

Don’t think that the longer you scrub the surface, the cleaner it will be. Often, rubbing only spoils everything – for example, because of this, a stain can remain etched in the carpet forever and there will be scratches on the countertop that cannot be removed by anything. So, cleaning without myths requires being able to use other cleaning methods (e.g. soaking) and selecting suitable products that will do the job without unnecessary mechanical impact.

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