11 Mistakes That Make Cleaning Harder Than It Needs to Be

Posted on 13/04/2023

Tips for Making Cleaning Easier

If only the idea of pulling out the vacuum cleaner makes you feel uneasy, you are not alone. Although house cleaning can be a daunting experience, sometimes we unintentionally make things worse on ourselves. From spending more time on a cleaning chore than it requires to simply not being efficient, these 11 mistakes make house upkeep harder than it should be.

1. Not Cleaning as You Go

Waiting until the last moment to clean up your place will leave you with a huge pile of mess. Try cleaning as you are doing something or right after you finished. Your home will not only look better, but it will make your weekly maintenance much easier. For example, you can wipe the bathroom tiles and the shower after you’ve showered. It will only take a couple of minutes and will spare your hours of scrubbing later.

2. Letting the Dirt In

Although you can’t banish the dirt from your place completely, you can take some preventive measures to minimize the amount of grime and dust that enters your home. Do you wear your shoes in the house? Place mats on the doorway and leave your shoes at the entrance.

3. Making Your Own Cleaners

There are numerous recipes for DIY cleaners claiming that they do miracles even with the most persistent dirt. While these solutions may work in some cases, they can be absolutely useless in others. Sometimes it’s best to go for the tried and tested store-bought products that provide guaranteed results.

4. Washing Windows When It’s Sunny

You spent a good hour of rubbing and wiping the windows, only to find that they are covered in terrible streaks. Wondering why? Because of the heat from the sun, the cleaner dries before you have time to wipe it up. You end up with extra work, as you need to remove the marks. To avoid the streaks, it’s best to clean the windows when it’s cloudy or in the evening.

5. Using a Feather Duster

Unfortunately, the feather duster does more damage than good. The tool spreads the dust particles and the filth from one place to another. Replace the duster with a microfiber cloth that effectively traps the dirt.

6. Not Cleaning Your Vacuum

Remove the hair and filth from your vacuum brush before you start cleaning. Otherwise, you will only disperse the dirt around your flooring, instead of collecting it. Clean the filters of your vacuum regularly and change the bag if it has one. For bag-less vacuums, don’t forget to empty the canister after you use it.

7. Not Allowing the Tile Cleaner to Soak In

For optimal results, let the cleaner sit for a while and then wipe it out. This will allow the formula to fully loosen and dissolve the scum and grease, making your job much easier.

8. Not Turning On the Bathroom Fan

Removing mould and mildew from your bathroom walls is one of the most annoying and exhausting jobs. To prevent such problems, keep the moisture to a minimum. Always turn on your exhaust fan before you shower and let it run for around 15 minutes afterwards.

9. Spraying Cleaner Directly on the Surface

Using a cleaner directly on your furniture will leave a hard-to-remove film that will attract even more dust. Prevent the build-up by spraying a cloth with the product and then running it across the surface.

10. Slacking on Your Household Chores

Having a busy week and not being able to complete all your household cleaning tasks is one thing. Procrastinating is a whole different story. It’s not the end of the world if you skip vacuuming one or two times. However, you will have more work due to the dirt and grime accumulated over time.

11. Not Having a Schedule

It is easier to stay focused on your tasks when you have a list. Completing all household chores at once is overwhelming and will drain all your energy. Instead, break down the larger jobs into smaller and more manageable bits. Create a schedule that works for you and approach each domestic cleaning task as you would a responsibility or an appointment. Eventually, regular house upkeep will become more of a habit, than a tedious obligation.

Fix these mistakes and you will have no troubles keeping up with your home cleaning.