A Mess Free Life may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
House cleaning, who likes it?
Not too many people I know. It’s the first thing people put on the list of things they want to hire someone else to do.
But for those of you who do clean your own homes, I’m pretty confident you’re making at least one of these top 7 cleaning mistakes if not all of them.
THE TOP 7 CLEANING MISTAKES YOU MADE THE LAST TIME YOU CLEANED
1. Using Too Much Cleaning Product
More is not better. It’s just more.
I know you think it is, just like taking two Advil must be better than one. But just like taking more of the recommended pain reliever can cause damage, so can using too much cleaning product.
Unlike years before, today’s cleaning products are so concentrated that using more than the recommended amount can actually be harmful to the surfaces you’re cleaning.
When cleaning, use only enough to do the job. Read the directions if you’re not sure what the recommended amount might be.
If you don’t, expect excess to be wasted and long-term damage showing up on surfaces.
Read: 12 Cleaning Hacks That Don’t Work & Are Just Plain Ridiculous
2. Cleaning Too Quickly
You’ve got the right amount of cleaning product on the area you’re going to clean. Great! But you can’t spray and wipe.
Products need time to sit and do their job.
What I like to do is spray and move on to something else allowing the product a sufficient amount of time to work.
For example, when we clean a bathroom, we spray the entire shower, and then go and work on the glass and counter tops returning to the shower after the product has done the majority of the job.
This cuts down significantly on how much elbow grease you need to put into the cleaning task.
Read: One Professional Cleaning Trick That Will Keep Your Shower and Tub Clean For Six Months
3. Dusting After You Vacuum
Years ago our vacuums spewed out dust and particles making it necessary to dust after you vacuumed.
Today, that’s not the case. Vacuums are super efficient and technologically superior to their old counterparts, so they’re great at keeping dust contained inside the vacuum.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wait.
There are all sorts of tricks that make dusting easier but waiting until after you’ve dusted to vacuum is still a smart cleaning move.
Read: Eight Things You Should Never Vacuum
4. Spraying Furniture Polish Directly on the Furniture
I know you think I’m wrong about this one, but believe me, blasting your furniture with furniture polish is problematic particularly when the spray intended for the furniture ends up on upholstery, electronics, walls, and floors.
First, you can ruin your upholstered furniture and electronics by getting furniture polish on or in them.
Second, if you get furniture polish on a hardwood floor, expect to land on your butt if you walk in that spot with just your socks on. It makes the area as a sheet of ice, making it very dangerous.
Always spray furniture polish on a microfiber cloth. It will go farther than if you spray and wipe.
Read: How To Control Dust In Your Home
5. Washing Windows On A Sunny Day
Water and detergent will dry up much more quickly in direct sunlight, resulting in streaks on window panes.
That’s why, in any season, the ideal time to clean windows is late afternoon or evening, or when the skies are overcast (and the temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
For quicker drying, swap your microfiber cloth for a window squeegee, which covers more surface area with each swipe.
Read: 8 Steps To Cleaning Windows Perfectly
6. Not Enlisting Your Family’s Help
My daughter was never the clean freak I was, and so sometimes I didn’t want her to clean because I knew it wouldn’t be to my standards.
Instead of berating her about it, I put her in charge of all the little things that can take time.
She was in charge of cleaning up any clutter, putting dishes away, taking out the trash, stripping and making the beds, and other chores that then allowed me to focus solely on “cleaning.”
Not sure how to get your family on board with cleaning? Read my latest article on how to get the whole family helping around the house.
My fresh take will have you shaking your head in agreement!
Want some great cleaning checklists? Sign up for my Free Resource Library and gain access to all the cool printables, worksheets, and checklists! And, the best part – I add to it ALL. THE. TIME.
7. Using Crazy Hacks You Find On Pinterest
Sure, some hacks and tips you find on Pinterest are actually really good and written by people who know how to clean. But some of the hacks you find on Pinterest are just plain stupid and won’t do anything except waste your precious time and money.
Using tips that are tried and true is really the best way to clean your home.
People like myself who have been professionally cleaning homes for over 15 years understand the best way to clean. So use strategies that work and you’ll never go wrong.
If you want ideas and inspiration for cleaning check out my Mess Free Life board on Pinterest.
Read: 12 Cleaning Hacks That Don’t Work & Are Just Plain Ridiculous
If you’ve been making any of these top 7 cleaning mistakes, now you’ve got the information to correct them and make cleaning more efficient, easier and less costly.
