8 Common House-Cleaning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Keeping your house clean on a regular basis requires knowing what not to do. Here are common house-cleaning mistakes and how to avoid them.

Cleaning your home shouldn't clean out your schedule! The average American spends 89 minutes a day cleaning their home. That's more time than grocery shopping or helping children with their homework. 

One reason why Americans waste so much time on cleaning is that they make house-cleaning mistakes. Some are easier to spot than others, but you can learn about the major ones today. 

Where should you spend most of your time cleaning? What tools and products should you use to clean? When do you need to do an in-depth cleaning?



Answer these questions and you can have a spotless house without breaking a sweat. Here are eight mistakes you can avoid today.

1. Neglecting Touch Points

If you're looking to save time on your house cleaning, you should prioritize the places that you use most often. Handles and railings should be cleaned every day. You should clean countertops and work surfaces multiple times a week. 

Use a disinfectant cleaner or wipes to scrub these surfaces. After you put the cleaner on, you should let it sit so it can spread out and kill all germs. You should also use your sleeve to touch handles.

2. Forgetting About Your Shower and Bath

Your shower and bath are hot spots for soap scum, bacteria, and hair. You should clean them every week and keep your eye out for mold and mildew. 

Remove excess water and debris from your shower using a squeegee. After you're done, use a sponge to get any water or things you missed. 

Find eco-friendly cleaning products that are specifically for the materials in your shower. White vinegar is effective for fiberglass and ceramic tiles, but not for stone. 

3. Not Cleaning Your Cleaning Equipment

Using your mop or broom over and over again will not clean your house. It will spread dust and hair everywhere and make it harder to remove. 

Before you use your mop or broom, you should clean it out. You can use a vacuum cleaner or brush to remove any debris you notice. Do this outside so you don't leave anything on the floor by mistake. 

Before you use your vacuum, you should inspect it to see if the hose is clean. You should also look inside the bag and replace it if it is more than half full. This will increase your vacuum's ability to pick up objects and allow you to contain large items.

4. Failing to Use Microfiber Towels

Paper towels and rags are okay, especially if you're cleaning up a spill. But microfiber towels are more effective as they can grip materials better. 

Buy a few towels and use a new one each time you clean. As you are using the towel, check it to see if it can grip additional dust and pieces of debris. Stop using it as soon as it becomes covered. 

5. Rushing With Your Cleaning Products

You should leave any cleaning product you use on the surface you put it on for at least a few seconds. Some products need a few minutes to kill all germs and remove all stains. 

Before you move on to the next item of your house cleaning routine, you should check to make sure you have completely cleaned the previous item. Look closely at the object and see if you notice any areas you missed. If you're not sure, clean the object again just to be safe.

6. Using Too Much Water

People overestimate the power of water to remove stains and germs. A little water can help with certain kinds of stains, like tomato sauce. 

But if you have just spilled a drink, you may be able to clean it up with a paper towel and no water. Lay the towel over the liquid and let it absorb the liquid. Give it a minute, then use a sponge to remove any remaining moisture. 

If the paper towel isn't enough, you can scrub the surface back and forth. You can also spray a little white vinegar on it, which can dislodge and break down the substance.

7. Overcrowding the Dishwasher

Packing every space in your dishwasher may seem like a good idea when you have a lot of dishes. But soap and water need to run through your dishwasher. When your dishes are packed closely together, there is no space for the water to clean them. 

You can clean some items by hand while your dishes are being washed. Look at a few dishwashing tips like scraping food off the plates so the detergent you use reaches the surfaces of the plates. You can also use different types of cleaning methods like scrubbing in circles with a sponge.

8. Skipping the Deep Clean

You should perform deep cleans multiple times a year. Clean your windows using glass cleaners and make sure you scrub the blinds and window frames. Move heavy furniture out of the way and scrub the floors, using your vacuum to get into the crevices. 

If you find deep cleaning difficult, you can hire a cleaning service. You can also buy new cleaning products and read guides on cleaning living rooms and other locations. 

Avoiding House-Cleaning Mistakes

House-cleaning mistakes are time and money wasters, but they don't have to be. Focus your attention on high-touch surfaces and rooms you spend most of your time in. Get premium tools, namely microfiber towels that can catch a lot of dust. 

Be thorough with your cleaning and leave no untouched spots behind. Do not rely on water or your dishwasher too much. Every few months, schedule a deep clean and clean all areas of your home. 

The longer you go without cleaning supplies, the more mistakes you will make. Purbloc provides premium cleaning products. Browse our store today.