Regular household cleaning is one of the most important tasks you can do to improve your health and overall enjoyment of your home. As a result, your cleaning routine can become second nature. But you can also become trapped in unhealthy habits that undermine your best efforts to keep your house looking great. Avoid these beginner cleaning mistakes to preserve your furniture and peace of mind.

Using Too Much Cleaner

Using more cleaning product doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll end up with better results. In fact, the opposite could be true.

Soaking your cloth with cleaning product or over-spraying will likely lead to noticeable streaks. You’ll also spend more time cleaning up excess spray than you’ll spend actually cleaning the desired surface. Spray a little product and continue to add more as needed rather than wasting your time wiping up drips.

Mixing Cleaning Products

Never mix any cleaning products together. Period. Not only is this action ineffective at cleaning your home, but it’s also downright dangerous. Combining the wrong ingredients can create a fatal toxic gas. Unless the manufacturer’s directions clearly state that you need to combine a product with another substance, avoid mixing any chemicals. Clean using one product at a time, and safely store each cleaner after use.

Scrubbing Carpet Spills

At some point, you’ll spill some sort of liquid on your carpet. If you’re like most people, you’ll immediately run to the cabinet to grab some rags and scrub like mad until the stain disappears. But scrubbing stains will irreversibly damage the carpets’ fibers.

Instead, blot the area with a dry towel or paper towels until no more liquid is absorbed. Then, apply carpet stain remover as necessary after checking the label for proper care instructions.

Cleaning Windows on a Sunny Day

While cleaning windows seems like a pretty common-sense task, many people don’t realize that cleaning them on a sunny day increases the chance of streaking. The hot sun will also cause the cleaner to evaporate more quickly.

Wait until nighttime or a cool, cloudy day to do any window cleaning — when the sun isn’t shining, and the temperature stays under 70 degrees.

Not Cleaning Often Enough

The most common cleaning mistake is actually not cleaning at all.

When you put off cleaning your house, you increase the chances of harboring mold, bacteria and dust-borne allergens that hurt your health and the longevity of your furniture and electronics. A regular cleaning schedule ensures that your cleaning chores won’t take as long and that you’ll have fewer problems to worry about in your home.

At Thai Cleaning Service, we understand that not everyone has the time and energy left at the end of the day to clean their house on a regular schedule. That’s why we provide affordable weekly, bi-weekly and monthly services throughout Baltimore and the surrounding communities. Contact us today for a free estimate, and see the difference a locally owned cleaning service can make in your home.