10 things you should never wash with water: the advice of professional cleaners

You’ve probably heard more than once or twice that you shouldn’t wash wooden surfaces with water. Experts confirm that this is not a myth, but a pure truth. “Moisture can warp and possibly crack wooden furniture, and if it is painted and treated, you risk damaging the finish. The same thing can happen with parquet or laminate flooring. In general, wooden items should not be washed with water, but you can use a well-wrung damp cloth and dry it immediately, says cleaning company employee Kathy Cohun.

Any housewife knows not to wash electronic devices with water – the only exception would be the women in parody videos, dousing laptops from the shower. But did you know that not all countertops are beneficial for humidity? According to Kathy, marble can be damaged by H2O: it is a porous and soft stone that can be damaged very easily. “Always read the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning marble and be sure to renew the sealer,” says Kathy.

Items that should not be washed with water include gas stove burners. As professional cleaner Laura Smith explains, they are very sensitive and water can seriously damage them. Laura advises not to rinse the burners under the tap, but to spray the cleaner on a cloth and carefully wipe the metal with it.

Leather products should not be washed in water for several reasons. First, it can penetrate the material, distorting it and making it brittle. Second, tap water may contain trace elements that change skin color. As a result, stains will remain on it after cleaning. It is therefore better to use special products to clean leather sofas, bags and accessories which will preserve the natural oils and extend the life of the items.

It is also better not to wash nubuck and suede shoes and chairs covered with velvet and other fleece fabrics in water. As Laura explains, when the fibers of these materials are wet and then dry, they can move into a different position, leaving marks on the item. Smith advises purchasing special products and brushes for these materials – then things made from them will look new.

Items that shouldn’t be washed in water include tarnished silver – as cleaning company Katie Turley explains, H2O will only make the problem worse. If you don’t have any special polish, Katie recommends soaking the metal for 15 minutes… in ketchup. “The mild acids in it will help remove tarnish. Then you can wash the silver with water. Once the plaque is removed, you can do it safely,” says Turley.

According to Katie, natural silk is a very finicky material. Over time, water can change the texture of the fabric or cause fading, and it will no longer be possible to save an expensive item. Therefore, it is better to take silk clothes to the dry cleaner – they will put them in order without damaging them.

Almost everyone knows that boards should not be washed with water. However, according to optometrist Jonathan Wolfe, many people believe that contact lenses can be soaked in water at night. This is a big mistake: lens solutions must contain antimicrobial ingredients, and using liquids that do not have such properties is simply dangerous: while you sleep, a colony of bacteria will grow and then move from the lens to your cornea.

Many housewives have heard that wooden furniture should not be washed with water. With brass, the story is completely different – after all, diametrically opposite things are said about it: both that this metal is not afraid of moisture, and that H2O can ruin it. Why does this happen? It all depends on the type of alloy: from a simple two-component alloy, water can leach out the zinc over time, causing the object to become covered in brown spots and begin to crumble. If there are other components in the composition, such a problem will not arise.

Imagine: you were just handed a beautiful bouquet, and you were so delighted that you accidentally dropped it on the carpet (and along the way, the flowers managed to stain your favorite cashmere sweater with pollen). The first impulse will be to run for a wet towel – after all, everyone remembers that woolen items should no longer be washed in water. But even this is a mistake: due to exposure to humidity, pollen will become firmly embedded in the item. To remove it, cleaners advise using a vacuum cleaner – this is a much safer and more effective way.

Also read: 11 things you should never clean with soda: the opinion of professional cleaners

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