Keeping one’s home clean and free from disease-causing germs is a task that must not be taken lightly. If left unchecked, a supposed safe haven can become a nightmarish source of the disease quickly.
That being said, even a well-meaning homeowner who regularly cleans their home could be inadvertently causing their families to get sick. While the house may look clean at a glance, there might be underlying issues causing harm without anyone noticing.
To avoid this, here are five common cleaning mistakes that may be compromising your family’s health without anyone noticing.
1. Using bleach to clean everything
Bleach is useful for a lot of things when it comes to cleaning, especially for sanitation purposes. That being said, household owners should be careful about using it, especially in lieu of other cleaning materials that may interact with it, such as ammonia.
Ammonia, which is present in many household cleaning products, is relatively safe to use. However, when it comes in contact with bleach, it forms chlorine gas—which causes cellular damage in the lungs and other nasal passageways when inhaled.
Most people already know that bleach is dangerous for children if swallowed. However, this solution actually lingers on surfaces, continually emitting fumes that can still have negative effects on children’s health.
2. Not vacuuming carpets regularly
To the chagrin of professional housekeeping services everywhere, some well-meaning but ill-informed homeowners assume that frequent vacuuming of carpets will result in premature wear.
While there may be some truth to that statement, it’s actually better for the carpet’s longevity if it is kept clean and free of gunk. This is especially true if the carpet is located in an area of your home that sees a lot of foot traffic.
Leaving hair, dust, and other debris all gunked up on your carpet for long periods will cause the carpet’s fibers to clump up—making it harder to clean without damaging the fibers.
3. Wiping off a spray cleaner immediately
Many homeowners will simply pick up a bottle of their usual cleaning product, spray everything in sight, and then proceed to wipe everything down in one breath. While this is a perfectly acceptable method for light watermarks and thin dust, most stains will require you to soak it with the cleaning product for a few minutes before wiping.
This gives the cleaning solution enough time to break up the stain molecules from the surface, making them easier to wipe off effectively.
4. Adding more detergent to make clothes “cleaner”
Adding a bit of extra detergent on heavily soiled clothes—especially when you pre-soak them before running a cycle—will go a long way. However, this is not the case when it comes to washing your regular load. In fact, using too much detergent may even leave soap residue on your clothes, which will then have to be washed off again!
Water has what is referred to as the solubility limit and saturation. If you put more detergent than the water can dissolve, the soap particles will linger on your clothes instead. While this may not sound problematic, the harsher cleaning agents can cause skin allergies to those wearing the clothes—which is something you’d definitely like to avoid.
5. Using vinegar for disinfection
As an acidic compound, vinegar is excellent for getting rid of sticky residues and stubborn stains. However, one myth that has unfortunately survived in modern times is that vinegar is a good disinfectant.
While vinegar does have similar disinfectant capabilities as with acetic acid, most experts say that this is best left for food preparation and not in cleaning your household’s services.
Conclusion
With professional housekeeping services widely available, there’s hardly any excuse not to keep your home cleaned and free of pathogens. The good thing is that with hiring cleaners, you won’t have to commit these mistakes all over again! With them around, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your home’s cleanliness is handled by experts.
Are you looking for a house cleaning service in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? At The Dream Clean Team, we provide deep cleaning services for Florida homes, regardless of the size or scope! Book a home cleaning appointment now and get confirmation from us within 30 seconds.
