DIY Cleaning Mistakes To Avoid

Cleaning is the practice of eliminating visible dust particles, dirt, stains, built-up grease, soap scum and grime from surfaces. It is one of the most essential steps to foster a positive, healthier and shinier living environment. However, maintaining a spotless look can seem overwhelming, especially when doing it without professional assistance.

There is always a possibility of making silly mistakes, such as using abrasive products on delicate surfaces, scrubbing hard on carpet stains, cleaning surfaces randomly, etc. These could damage the surface, discolour soft furnishings, and even cause physical injuries, such as slips and falls.

If you want to maximise your efforts, avoid the following DIY cleaning mistakes and maintain a shiny abode. The right products and techniques will help you impress your fussy landlord and get your full bond money back without any disagreement.

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1. Mixing Two Cleaning Products

Many homeowners don’t realise and mix two cleaning products for a more effective solution. This is one of the biggest cleaning blunders. The wrong combinations could produce toxic fumes, cause eye or skin irritation and breathing problems, damage the surface or pose other serious threats. So, you should safely use the cleaning chemicals and  never mix:

• Vinegar and Bleach
• Bleach and Ammonia-based products
• Vinegar and Ammonia
• Two Different Store-Bought Disinfectants, and Drain Cleaners, etc

Instead, you can prepare homemade cleaning recipes using baking soda, vinegar, lemon, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oils to spruce up your home.

Hiring professionals for quality vacate cleaning in Perth is a great way to reduce cleaning stress and pass the rental inspection without any hassle.

2. Wiping Down Surfaces with Dirty Cleaning Rags

Are you using the same dirty cloth to clean your countertops, electronics and windows? This is also one of the major DIY cleaning mistakes that will spread dust and dirt further, making your house look dirtier.

So, it is important to arrange multiple cleaning cloths in a cleaning caddy and avoid reusing the same cloth to clean different surfaces. Always wash the rag in hot, soapy water after every use. This will prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.

3. Cleaning Surfaces Randomly

You should never spruce up the surfaces randomly. This will spread dust and debris further, and you may even miss important spots. Plus, different surfaces need different methods and approaches, so random cleaning might not help you generate spotless results.

What is the solution? Professionals always follow a top-to-bottom approach for the best vacate cleaning Perth. They also follow a proper cleaning checklist for all rooms and important spots.

Always start cleaning from your ceiling fans, exhaust fans and walls to achieve the desired results. After that, clean towards windows, blinds, door tracks, carpets and floors. This will save you time and energy.

4. Washing Windows on a Sunny Day

Direct sunlight and warmth can quickly evaporate and dry the window cleaning products and water, leaving insightful streaks behind. If you keep making this mistake, all your efforts will go in vain.

It is always good to wash your dirty windows on a cloudy day or in the evening when there is no direct sunlight.  Make sure you clean the sills, frames and wooden doors using eco-friendly products and leave your windows sparkling clean.

5. Not Emptying the Vacuum Machine

Believe it or not! Vacuum cleaners are the most effective cleaning gadgets that can help you clean hard and soft surfaces in a go. However, most people often forget to empty the canister or bag of the machine after the use.

This not only affects the machine’s efficiency but also makes it difficult to achieve sparkling results. So, always clean out the canister after every use and remove accumulated dust and debris.

6. Rubbing the Carpet Stains Abrasively

Carpet stains are stubborn and annoying. However, rubbing or scrubbing techniques can damage the fibres further. Do not use a sharp or abrasive brush to remove stains.

Instead, blot the surface with a damp cloth. Gently blot the area with a vinegar-based solution and repeat until the stain transfers onto the cloth.

You can hire professionals for quality steam carpet cleaning in Perth and save your plush and beautiful floor coverings.

7. Cleaning Natural Stone Surfaces with Acidic Cleaners

This is one of the biggest mistakes that can damage your granite, limestone, and marble surfaces. You can use a microfiber cloth and baking soda solution instead of vinegar and lemon to remove oil stains, grime, and grease from your natural stone surfaces.

8. Using Disinfecting Spray on Dirty Surfaces

Most people confuse cleaning with disinfection. Of course, both are performed to maintain a hygienic indoor environment, but they have different purposes. Cleaning is the process of removing visible dirt and stains, while disinfecting is about banishing lingering invisible germs and bacteria.

You should never disinfect dirty surfaces. This will not kill germs and bacteria. Instead, wipe down the dirt first using soap, water, or vinegar. After that, use disinfecting wipes or 70 percent rubbing alcohol to banish microbes and other household threats, like bed bugs, etc

Professionals also use the same technique when carrying out a budget vacate cleaning Perth and help tenants pass their rental inspection.

Avoid 8 Most Common DIY Cleaning Mistakes

Wrapping Up

These are some of the most common DIY cleaning mistakes every homeowner should avoid to maintain a clean, shiny abode. Always follow the proven methods to tackle stains and grime from different surfaces around your home.