Readers Digest article by Caroline Stanko
Photo by © VGstockstudio / Shutterstock
Cleaning gone wrong
You probably feel good after you complete a household cleaning task; it’s not much fun, but needs to be done and is definitely beneficial. Or is it? Frustratingly, there is a right and a wrong way to clean. Find out if you’re making any of these mistakes that could actually be sabotaging your home’s cleanliness.
Mistake 1: Using the same rag around the house
Why it’s dirty: Despite spritzing it with a cleaning solution, when you use the same rag in multiple spots around the house, the rag hangs on to the grime from the previous surface and spreads it to whichever surface it touches next. That means bathroom germs get wiped onto kitchen counters, the living room coffee table, and anywhere else that cloth is used, definitely making this one of the ways you’re cleaning your kitchen all wrong.
How to fix it: Use a new wad of paper towel for each surface cleaned, or have a microfiber cleaning cloth designated for each area of your home. Microfiber cleaning cloths can be tossed in the laundry or thoroughly washed after each use to remove gunk or grime.
Mistake 2: Using a feather duster
Why it’s dirty: No matter how much the advertisements for these dusters say the feathers “trap and lock dust,” they don’t. Feather dusters are notorious for spreading dust around a surface or pushing it off to fall to the ground, rather than removing it.
How to fix it: Use a microfiber cleaning cloth or a disposable paper towel with an appropriate cleaning solution, depending on the surface being dusted. The idea that feather dusters actually “dust” is one of the common cleaning myths you can stop believing.
Mistake 4: Tossing any kitchen tool into the dishwasher
Why it’s dirty: Smaller kitchen tools like a garlic press, zester or cheese grater have small nooks and crannies that a dishwasher isn’t always able to blast. When food is left in these tools, it can become moldy and get into food the next time it is used.
How to fix it: Skip the dishwasher and wash by hand with dish soap and hot water, paying particular attention to corners and small holes. You can also try these other helpful cleaning tips for hard-to-clean objects.
Mistake 7: Cleaning from the ground up
Why it’s dirty: When sweeping, mopping or vacuuming the floor before cleaning the furniture, dust, and crumbs fall from tables, counters, and shelves, requiring you to re-clean the floor.
How to fix it: Clean a room from the top down. Start with windows, working down to tables and counters, chairs and couches, side and coffee tables, ending with the floor.
I know. I skipped a few. To see the whole story (and you should), click below:
