Some well-intentioned homeowners could possibly be doing more damage than good while they are completing normal cleaning. Realtor.com® recently featured a list of cleaning myths which might actually decrease the value of a home. Below are a few cleaning habits we would like to warn you about:
4 Cleaning Habits That May Harm Your home
An excessive amount of bleach.
Homeowners could possibly be under the assumption that bleach is the perfect cleaner in the bathroom. “Bleach does not clean anything,” Leslie Reichert, cleaning coach and author of “The Joy of Green Cleaning” told realtor.com®. “It does disinfect, but before you can disinfect a surface, you have to clean it with something that will lift off the dirt.” Wipe clean and then disinfect with a diluted bleach solution, she suggests.
Polish for wood care.
Commercial polishes can certainly make the wood in a home shine, however they will probably also leave behind a waxy buildup. “Most wood furniture has a finish that seals the wood, and really just needs to be kept clean and free from dust and dirt,” Reichert says. In this case, a moist microfiber cloth is generally best.
Not enough vacuuming.
One myth many homeowners believe is that you may ruin your carpets by vacuuming excessively. However, “dust and dirt that gets down into the base of a carpet can do more damage than a vacuum,” Reichert says. However, homeowners must take additional care when vacuuming Oriental rugs or handmade carpets, and do not leave a vacuum in one spot for too long. “The constant beating can heat up the fibers, cause them to melt, and leave a burn mark,” Reichert says.
Coffee grounds in the disposal.
Some homeowners have heard that coffee grounds can deodorize a garbage disposal, however they can really harm it. “The grounds often clog up the drains and pipes,” says Debra Johnson, a home cleaning expert at Merry Maids. Instead, place two to three small peels of lemon, lime, or grapefruit in the garbage disposal and turn it on while rinsing with warm water.
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