When Cleaning Hacks Aren't Enough: Demystifying Cleaning Myths

There are a lot of websites - both platform and social media - that profess to reveal cleaning "hacks" to make your life a little easier when it comes to cleaning. However, not all of them are as easy or as helpful as they are made out to be and some of these cleaning tips can even have some near-disastrous outcomes if the person using the tip doesn't have first-hand knowledge of the substances used or the correct surfaces to use them on. It's a no brainer as to what happens next: a hefty repair bill or a replacement for whatever has been damaged.

Because a wide majority of the public doesn't have the in-depth knowledge of a professional cleaner, they don't truly know how to tell apart a good cleaning tip from an ill-advised one. Some can even be a pure fallacy. We at Dashing Maids are professional cleaners with years of experience under our belts and that being said, have compiled a list of some popular misconceptions to save you the headache of doing the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.

Cleaning Hacks To Avoid

Newspaper

We've heard this many times: cleaning windows with newspaper. It's not really the best way to clean windows as the paper can soak up grease and release it onto the glass, leaving nasty smears in its wake. Additionally, some newspapers still use petroleum ink for printing the words on the paper and this ink can transfer easily onto other surfaces like your hands and the glass, again leaving smears. The best materials to use when cleaning windows is a microfiber cloth or a fine grain coffee filter. Using alongside a non-alcohol based glass cleaner will leave your windows shiny and mark free.

Bleach

Majority of bleach-based cleaners are no longer used in professional cleaning - even in lavatories - and that's because bleach isn't a cleaner. It's a stain remover and disinfectant. What's more, bleach is so strong it can cause surfaces to become discolored or appear faded over prolonged use, and when it's mixed with other cleaning agents (never do this) it becomes toxic. Bleach also affects air quality and has an overpowering smell. So, if you still want to use bleach for whatever reason, make sure you thoroughly follow the instructions on the back of the label, no matter how familiar you think you are with using it.

Lemons & Coffee Grounds

Another common misconception is the use of lemons and coffee grounds to freshen up garbage disposal units. When a garbage disposal unit starts to smell it can be quite the noxious odor, but using lemon or coffee grounds isn't going to solve the problem. While it does come recommended to improve cleanliness and reduce the smell, you run the risk of blockages and if the blockages are deep down in the pipework, they may need a plumber to remove. A better way of approaching bad-smelling or dirty garbage disposal units is to use the following mixture: boiling water, white vinegar, and baking soda. This creates an abrasive compound that removes both smells and dirt.

Dawn & Vinegar

Dawn (a commercial degreaser) and Vinegar has risen in popularity over the years and while it is a good cleaner, it has its flaws. Dawn is a solution that is made up of a strong soap compound in high concentration and because of this, it leaves streaks on surfaces once it has dried. For a proper clean, you don't want to leave ghastly smears after you've wiped a surface down because smears basically undo your hard work. For a proper result, surfaces should be both clean to the touch and free of marks. In Dawn's stead, try a peppermint based cleaning solution. It smells fresh and doesn't leave smears.

Cleaning Effect

A lot of commercial adverts show people instantly wiping away a cleaning solution as soon as it has been applied to a surface, but what they don't show or tell you is that most cleaning solutions don't work this way. Each cleaning solution has it's action time - the time it takes it to work on marks, germs, etc - and these times vary from product to product. Some cleaning agents take between 30 seconds to 10 minutes to have an effect and the best way to understand the usage of the solution you're using is to read the label, but then you have to consider the density of the mess you're wanting to remove. When using cleaning solutions, spraying it on and then leaving it to work its magic for a set amount of minutes will provide better results than spraying it on and wiping it off straight after. Also, by going along with the recommended action time, your surfaces will stay cleaner for longer.

So, there you have it: a few debunked cleaning misconceptions for you. If you're looking for knowledge on cleaning, contact our experts at Dashing Maids who know what it means to clean. We have representatives standing ready to help you with all your cleaning needs, once you give us a call.