21 Of The Most Important Cleaning Mistakes To Avoid

Very few people like cleaning. There’s that select few who make up a breed of Monica Gellar’s that enjoy cleaning, but for the rest of us it can be a tedious job and you just want to get it over with as fast as possible.

In the process of your weekly (okay, monthly) cleaning routine though, you might be making a few mistakes or neglecting a few appliances that you wouldn’t think need to be cleaned (doesn’t a washing machine clean itself?) We’re here to let you know everything you’re doing wrong, but also, how to fix it! Keep reading to learn more!

Clean Your Straws Better

If you’ve taken the plunge and got yourself some reusable straws, good for you! Now you have to learn to clean them and it turns out running a little bit of soapy water through your straw isn’t actually enough — make sure you’re using that handy dandy cleaning stick your straw probably came with.

If you’ve already thrown that out cause you didn’t know what it was, you could try a pipe cleaner.

Don’t Take Dirty Tupperware Home

After you finish your lunch, rather than tossing your Tupperware back in your bag to clean at home, we’re supposed to clean it ASAP, because of bacteria that will build up, especially now that it’s not in the work fridge anymore.

The Dishwasher Won’t Clean Itself

Despite what you may think, a dishwasher does not clean itself every time you run it, so you have to clean it separately.

You can sprinkle a cup of baking soda across the bottom, or place a cup of vinegar inside, then run that bad boy on hot and you’ll be good to go.

Wood And Water Don’t Mix

If you’re in the mood to clean those glorious wooden floors you love so much, stay away from the water.

Leave the wet mop in the bucket and use a designated wood cleaner, it’ll preserve your floors more in the long term.

Warm Pans Means Warped Pans

You’d think we would all know this by now, but in case you need a friendly reminder: don’t wash your pots or pans while they’re still hot.

It can warp the shape of them, no matter how good or sturdy they seem.

Your Pots Deserve Better

For the love of all that is good, stop putting your pots and pans in the dishwasher.

No one likes washing dishes, we get it, but if you’re old enough to own a cast iron pan, you’re old enough to wash it by hand.

Step One: Buy A Knife Block

If you’re an adult who owns a knife block and doesn’t keep loose knives in a random drawer in your kitchen like the rest of us heathens, take it one step further and clean that knife block.

A little hot water, some soap, and a brush to clean out the knife slots — you’ll be good to go.

No Scrubs

No scrubs allowed when it comes to liquid stains like red wine, coffee, or pet urine. If you scrub the stain, it may look like you got it all but it could resurface later because you only cleaned up the top layer.

Blot the liquid immediately, then douse it with club soda or ice water, and keep blotting until no more color comes off.

Protect Your Palms

Well, protect every part of your hand. You should always wear gloves when you’re cleaning, even if you’re just scrubbing the counters quickly or cleaning the bathtub tiles.

Our skin is super-absorbent so we have to protect it when we can.

A Little Chaos In The Dishwasher Is Good

When loading the dishwasher, don’t place all your spoons in the utensil holder facing the same way. If you load them all in the same direction, they’ll end up blocking each other and they won’t be fully cleaned.

Place your knives and spoons alternating upside down and right side up to make sure everything gets cleaned.

Don’t Clean Windows In Nice Weather

Don’t do what this man is doing. As much as you want to do your yard work when it’s sunny out, stay away from the windows on those days.

Ideally, you want to clean windows nearer to the end of the day, and you want it to be cloudy, to prevent any streaky windows.

Washing Machines Want To Be Clean, Too

Just like you need to wash a dishwasher, you also need to give some love to your washing machine and give her a wash every once in a while.

There’s different ways to clean them depending on if you’re washer is top loading or front loading, but a quick google search will solve all your problems.

Leave The Vacuuming Till The End

Vacuuming should be the last thing you do. Instead of cleaning one room entirely then vacuuming and moving on to the next room, save the vacuuming till the end.

Even if you’ve already dusted your bedroom and you’ve moved onto the shutters in the hallway, dust can travel, so vacuum last to make sure you clean everything up.

Never Put Away A Wet Brush

Make sure you’re giving your toilet brush time to dry out before you pop it back in the holder. Putting a wet brush back in its container is asking for bacteria to breed, so you have to let the brush dry for 10 or 15 minutes before you put it back.

If you wedge it between the bowl and the seat, it’ll drip dry and you’ll be good to go.

Bleach Is Not A Catch-All Cleaner

You can’t bleach everything and call it a day, that’s not how cleaning works. Yes, it can be great for getting tough stains out, but it’s also really harsh on skin and can be dangerous if inhaled, so it’s much better to invest in an all-purpose cleaner.

Save the bleach for a ‘once in a while’ solution rather than an everyday one.

Always Remember The Touch Points

When cleaning your house, don’t forget about the “touchpoints” like doorknobs or light switches.

Give them a swipe of that cleaning cloth to keep everyone in your household happy, healthy, and thriving.

Making Your Bed Is Bad For Your Health

This is a controversial one but you might be able to use it to your advantage when your spouse claims you never make the bed. Some studies have shown it’s better to let your sheets air out after you wake up, rather than making the bed immediately and trapping dust or germs in the sheets.

You can’t pull that card for the whole day, but at least the first hour of your day.

Sponges Are Gross

Sponges are a breeding ground for bacteria. There, we said it.

Yes, they are great for cleaning dishes, but once a week make sure you toss your sponge in the dishwasher or swap it out for a new one so you’re not “cleaning” with a dirty sponge.

You Have To Clean More Than Just The Counter Tops

Appliances like your coffee maker, food processor, or blender need some extra attention if you want to keep them running smoothly and keep getting that necessary caffeine intake.

Try to take apart your coffee maker, take the blades out of the blender etc. once a week or even every other week, depending on how frequently you use them.

Feather Dusters Are Out

Sure, it’s super satisfying to dust the blinds and see all the dirt that comes off, but most of the dust ends up getting pushed around the room and doesn’t actually get cleaned up.

Stick to a vacuum or cloth, and you’ll sneeze less.

Always Empty The Vacuum

You’ve spent the last hour vacuuming your house, getting every nook and cranny, and you’ve finally finished and you pop the vacuum back in the closet until you need it next. Wrong.

You should always empty the bag when you’re done vacuuming. Do it while it’s already out instead of leaving it for next time.