10 cleaning mistakes that make your home dirtier

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You shouldn't do this if you want to achieve perfect order and cleanliness.

1. Start cleaning from the floor

Sometimes you want to do the most unpleasant and difficult first, such as vacuuming and cleaning the floors. And after that, do the rest of the little things: wipe the dust, put things out. But in this case, at the end of cleaning, the floors, in a good way, will need to be washed again. Crumbs, small debris and other dirt will inevitably fall on them, something will spill or crumble.

It will be better to stick to the golden rule of cleaning - to put things in order from the top down. First, put things in their places, then wipe the dust, wash the plumbing fixtures and cabinets, and only at the very end grab the floors.

2. Use one rag for all surfaces

Pollution in different parts of a house or apartment is not the same in type and intensity. If you don't change the rag or napkin, it looks like everything will look clean, but there is a risk of simply transferring dirt and microorganisms from one room to another. For example, grease from the kitchen counter to the bedside table in the bedroom. Or hair and toothpaste from the bathroom shelf to the dining table.

The solution is to have several sponges and rags for different purposes, or use disposable napkins and take a new one when moving from one zone to another.

3. Use the same rags for a long time

All reusable sponges, rags and wipes need regular washing or replacement. For example, accessories that are used for washing dishes and kitchen sinks are recommended to be renewed at least once a week.

And it is better to throw rags for other surfaces into the washing machine immediately after cleaning. If you do not do this, dirt and microorganisms will remain on the fabric, which will again appear on tables, shelves and nightstands the next time.

4. Vacuum with a filled bag or container

Sometimes disposable accessories run out at the most inopportune moment, and sometimes a reusable bag or container is too lazy to shake out, because the mechanism still works, albeit somehow. But a vacuum cleaner that is not cleaned in time sucks up dust and debris worse - this is even indicated by the manufacturers themselves - and the quality of cleaning is significantly reduced.

To prevent this from happening, the bag or container must be changed / emptied as soon as it is full, and at the same time wipe the "insides" of the vacuum cleaner with a damp cloth.

5. Use inappropriate equipment

Probably everyone has come across a weak vacuum cleaner at least once. Or a stupid mop that spins up all the time and does not wring out well. Or the much-vaunted window cleaning sponge that doesn't actually clean as well as the advertisements promised.

At the very least, all these things cope with the task, but in the end there are still stains, smudges, dust, stains and debris in the corners. That is, the quality of cleaning with bad equipment is greatly reduced, and the irritation from the process is growing.

Therefore, it is worth spending a little more money and acquiring tools that facilitate the task of putting things in order, and do not make it completely unbearable: buy a new vacuum cleaner more powerful, a mop with a strong handle and a convenient nozzle, a set of microfiber rags.

6. Stacking things in piles

It seems that I just arranged the stocks of sweaters or towels in a neat, even pile - but now it has already "floated". And in the end, literally a couple of days later, chaos reigns on the shelf again, and things fall to the floor every time the cabinet door is opened.

And all because it is almost impossible to carefully pull something out of the pile and maintain this order for a long time. Marie Kondo, author of the Magic Cleaning system, suggests rolling up clothes, linen or towels. And then stack them on the shelf, one on top of the other, like rolls of wallpaper in hardware stores. Then things will be better visible and it will be much easier to get one sweatshirt without destroying the entire structure.

In addition, Marie Kondo recommends not folding as many clothes as possible, but hanging them on a hanger. And only small things like linen or T-shirts should be placed in the drawers of the chest of drawers with "rolls".

7. Do not use organizers

It's easy for all of us to imagine kitchen shelves with a bunch of openers, spatulas, spice bags, rubber bands and other little things lying around. Or drawers of a children's table, from which felt-tip pens, sharpeners and pieces of plasticine fall out.

This chaos can be avoided by using organizers and organizing everything so that each item has its own place. These can be ordinary plastic containers or with pull-out drawers, boxes with compartments, baskets.

8. Remove dust with a brush only

Bright, fluffy brooms, like the maids in the movies, can be useful for removing dust from small, complex objects, such as a collection of figurines.

For large, flat surfaces, it is better to use microfiber cloths or slightly damp disposable cleaning wipes.

9. Do not declutter

The main cause of confusion is excess of things. They constantly need to be cleaned and time is wasted every time. They clog up shelves and drawers, preventing them from keeping order. Moreover, we most often do not need as many things as we keep at home, not really using anything and preserving our "wealth", because it is a pity to throw it away and "suddenly come in handy."

Some cleaning experts recommend getting rid of a certain number of items each week. Others advise throwing away or giving away one old item every time you buy one new item to maintain balance. Marie Kondo suggests getting rid of everything that does not cause joy and pleasant memories.

Whichever approach you choose, it is advisable to declutter at least three or four times a year. Pull all the things out of the closets, honestly ask yourself if you need these beautiful but too tight jeans or a set for a figure cutting vegetables - and mercilessly part with all that is superfluous.

10. Do general cleaning once a week

For some rooms, this is even common - for example, in the bedroom, clutter does not form so quickly and there is no need to clean the room from top to bottom every 7 days.

But in the kitchen, bathroom or hallway it gets dirty much faster and cleaning, including large-scale ones, is needed more often. If you do nothing on weekdays and tidy things up only on weekends, then by Thursday or Friday these rooms will already be untidy. Especially if the house has a large family or pets.

To keep all areas more or less clean, you need not occasional cleaning, but a system of putting things in order - a set of small daily actions that will not allow the house to plunge into chaos. It could be the FlyLady technique invented by the American housewife Marla Scilly, “Magic Cleaning” by Marie Kondo, or another similar approach. Or maybe a combination of them or your own way.