Across many countries, spring cleaning largely evolved as a means of refreshing a house after a gloomy winter and in anticipation for the summer days. In Australia, spring cleaning is a phrase used to describe a one-off home cleaning process, regardless of the season.
Since springtime is already here, many articles have been put up reminding of the checklists to guide you when giving your house the deep clean it deserves: Wash door and window frames, vacuum vents, fill cracks with Sika grout, dust fixtures, and the list goes on. Today, however, we are here to tell you what not to do when spring-cleaning your home:
Like any other endeavour, it is important to go in with a plan. Always make sure that you are prepared and stocked up on all cleaners a before the date set. Create a detailed list of the jobs that you want to accomplish, and prioritise the list from most important to the least important one. It is also important to spread out the whole project over several days as deep cleaning takes time.
Using the same rag over and over again
Overusing a cleaning cloth can do more damage than you’d know. A study from the University of Arizona found that 89% of dishcloths and sponges actually carry some form of coliform bacteria, which have made themselves at home in damp cloths. Still, some people use one rag to clean their entire house, causing bacteria and germs to spread. To avoid the accumulation of bacteria, it is important that frequent replacement of towels be done during any cleaning project.
Overlooking the importance of microfibre cleaning cloth
microfibre cloth technology has taken over the feather duster and paper towels when it comes to efficiency in a house cleaning project. These cloths can be used for dusting as well as for drying surfaces. The makeup of microfibre cloths allows them to attach themselves to even the smallest, most microscopic dirt, dust and even bacteria. In addition, the porous nature of these cloths means that they are very absorbent and can dry quickly.
Forgetting to replace or clean out your vacuum
Allowing a vacuum bag to become too full can affect its performance. The bag needs to be replaced when it is about two-thirds full as debris needs room to enter the bag.
Cleaning from bottom to top
Always start at the top and work your way down when cleaning a room. Think about it, as you clean, dust and debris from the ceiling, blinds or upper shelves will fall to the floor. Still, a lot of people begin cleaning a room by vacuuming or mopping floors, and they end up doing the same task twice. This is obviously the wrong approach.
Overlooking the fine print on cleaning supplies
It’s no surprise that most of us would rather that the house cleaning project be done as soon as possible. But rushing through the process can actually mean that you are not doing the job right. All kinds of sanitisers and disinfectants have a recommended contact time to kill germs and bacteria that can get you sick. If you’re simply spraying and wiping as you clean, without waiting, your cleaning can actually be more trouble than it’s worth. Make sure to read the fine instructions on cleaning supplies and allow the disinfectants to do their work.
You may have all the right tools for your spring-cleaning job. But if you are not using them right, you can just actually be wasting your time.