Are you guilty of these housekeeping mistakes?
Alexa Erickson
Using Too Much Water on Wooden Floors
Less is usually more when it comes to good housekeeping, and that’s certainly true for cleaning and taking care of your wooden floors. Whether you’re mopping or using a standard rag and bucket, be sure that you don’t have too heavy of a hand with the water. If there are scratches or gouges in the finish, the excess water can make its way beneath the surface and damage the wood.
Dusting Surfaces with a Dry Rag
Put down the duster, or anything that resembles it, especially a dry rag. While dusting your fan may leave it looking pearly white, that dust doesn’t just disappear into thin air. All that sneezing you do when dusting is the result of the tiny particles flying elsewhere, like your table, rug, etc. You may think you’ll clean up all the dust when you vacuum, but there are plenty of nooks and crannies it settles in that you’ll forget about. Your best bet is to wet a rag, which will pick up dust more effectively.
Cleaning Stainless Steel in Circular Motions
It doesn’t take much to dirty up a stainless steel appliance. One-touch and your refrigerator is totally smudged. When cleaning, be sure you’re not wiping in circular motions, because you’ll see the marks when the cleaner dries. Instead, find the grain in the stainless steel and follow that. You’ll notice a big difference.
Not Cleaning Your Washing Machine
Isn’t the point of a washing machine is that it cleans dirty things? So why would you have to clean it? The reality is, your cleaning tools need just as much TLC as the rest of your home. Good housekeeping means paying attention to the things that make your life easier, which is why your washing machine, for instance, deserves to be cleaned. If your clothes have started smelling of mildew after being washed, it’s time to run a cycle on the hottest water setting with nothing inside, and using vinegar for an extra boost for a squeaky clean washing machine.
Washing your Cutting Board With Soap
Whether you’re slicing veggies, fruit or meat on your cutting board, it’s a no brainer that you need to wash it. But contrary to what you might think, scrubbing it down with soapy water isn’t the answer. Soak your board in bleach after each use (or at least those boards used for things like raw meat which contains harmful bacteria), to properly sterilize it and avoid bacteria transfer.
Not Washing Your Pillows
Sure, you know about washing your pillowcases weekly, but what about your actual pillows? Most pillows have a tag giving laundering instructions, yet very few people follow through with doing so. Your pillow is subject to dust mites, body oils, and bacteria from your saliva, which is why you should stick it in the washing machine every three to six months.
Washing Windows on a Sunny Day
You can’t control the sun, but you can avoid it, which is something you should do when washing your windows. This is because glass cleaner dries quickly in direct sunlight, leaving behind unsightly streaks that are counterintuitive to your washing job. Opt for overcast skies and the temp below 70 degrees.
Not Cleaning Your Air Ducts
Even if you are good at keeping the dust at bay throughout your house, your housekeeping is lacking if you’re not cleaning your air ducts out. Over time, they collect dust, leading to allergy symptoms and even increasing the chance of fires when you turn the heat on. Be sure to clean them once a year at least.
Not Cleaning Your Light Bulbs
While light bulbs used to burn out and need replacing frequently, today the long-lasting LED bulbs make it possible for you to forget about them for a while. But you shouldn’t. The longer they’re installed, the more dust they build up, which can become a fire hazard.
NOT DOING DISHES REGULARLY
It is really helpful to clean up your kitchen and do dishes as you cook. The greatest plus point being, you do not have to come back to a messy kitchen after the day’s work. Also, one might tend to lose motivation to clean the kitchen after the day. But, for utensils which require serious concentration or soaking, give yourself some rest, relax and then carry on!
DUST ACCUMULATION
Accumulation of dust is a root cause for various health problems and needs to be taken care of as a priority. Sometimes we tend to skip the day’s vacuum cleaning and sweeping. Apart from the floors, things with flat surfaces too tend to collect dust, and further wind could blow this dust through the house. Thus, it is important to give your house a good dusting and cleaning frequently. You can also bring home air-purifying plants!
NOT CHANGING TOWELS AT REGULAR INTERVALS
Wet and damp towels are a breeding source for various germs and microbes. So, it is important to change your dish towels and bath towels frequently.
Also, to make your job easier, communicate your housekeeping rules with your fellow partners or roommates. This will not only ease your task but also develop a sense of belongingness and discipline in the house.
