Most of us pick up cleaning habits as we grow up and never change them as adults. Unfortunately your well-meaning cleaning approach may be doing you, your time and your home more harm than good.
Here's some habits to nix and some good ones to replace them with.
2
of
16
Alina Bradford/CNET
You use average deodorizers on pet smells
I haven't found a store-bought deodorizer that holds a candle to a simple mixture you can whip up at home for removing pet smells.
To make smell-be-gone spray, mix 16 ounces (about 500 ml) of warm water with 10 drops of peppermint essential oil or two tablespoons of peppermint extract in a spray bottle. This will get rid of any animal pee smell. Here are more ways to get rid of pet urine odor.
3
of
16
Alina Bradford/CNET
You self-clean and chill
The self-cleaning option on your oven only self-cleans to a point. There's still more to do after the oven cools down.
Wipe any soot off of the interior with a damp cloth and leave the door open for a few hours so it can air out.
4
of
16
Josh Miller/CNET
You're using the wrong sponge
A sponge is a sponge, right? Not so fast. Actually, your choice of sponge can make a big difference in how well you clean your dishes. Some can even damage certain items.
Hate cleaning your microwave? There's a reason for that. Food left to dry and crust over is pretty difficult to remove.
The solution is simple; wipe up spills as soon as they happen.
If it's too late for that, heat a bowl of water in the microwave for several minutes until steamy, let it cool for a few minutes and carefully wipe the interior. The steam helps loosen stuck-on gunk.
9
of
16
Alina Bradford/CNET
You don't clean the dryer filter
Cleaning your dryer filter after every load is important. A clean filter will help your clothes dry more quickly and can prevent dryer fires.
Yes, coconut oil can be used to clean more than a dozen things, but sometimes it can do more harm than good. For example, many people online claim you can clean furniture stains with coconut oil. Nope. It's an oil, which means it will give you a bigger stain than you had before.
The water that's coming from your hot water tap isn't that hot. Plus, as soon as you put it in the bucket, the water is going to cool down anyway. Hot water can also damage some floors.
Instead, use a antibacterial floor cleaner and warm water to get the best clean.
14
of
16
Goran Ljubisavljevic / Getty Images
You use dryer sheets
Dryer sheets and fabric softener make your clothes soft and smell good, but they're not good for your washer and dryer. They can also make your towels less absorbent.
If you're saving dusting for last, then you're doing it wrong. Dust before you vacuum so you'll suck up any particles that fall onto the floor right away.
Close
Discuss: 15 bad cleaning habits you need to nix
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.