Cleaning your home or the office isn't always as easy as you might think; running the vacuum and spraying some bleach cleaner on the bathroom fixtures isn't enough to really get those surfaces thoroughly clean, and some cleaning methods may actually cause damage to your home. Note a few cleaning mistakes you're probably making, and consider hiring a professional cleaner if needed, so you know your needed cleaning always gets done properly.
Scrubbing carpet stains
Scrubbing at stains in the carpet may pull up the food or red wine that was spilled, but this scrubbing also twists the fibres of the carpet, ruining them. You may then notice that the area looks worn or flattened, even after the stain is gone, and you can't fix this damage after it's been done. A better way to clean a carpet stain is to blot it up as much as possible, and then use a stain remover and steam cleaner, which will pull out the stains without damaging the carpet fibres.
You misuse natural cleaners
While vinegar and lemon juice won't release toxic fumes that can irritate your lungs, this doesn't mean that they're safe to use on all surfaces. Both substances are very acidic, and can etch or otherwise dry and damage stone, marble, wood, and certain types of tile.
If you're worried about toxins in cleansers and want to use natural products, go online and search for suggestions based on the material to be cleaned. In many cases, baking soda, peroxide, or a steam clean may be recommended, rather than a harmful acidic cleaner.
You use too much oil, polish or wax
A polish or wax can often be recommended for wood products or floor tiles, to seal the wood or tile surface and create a nice shine. However, too much wax, either applied at once or applied every time you clean, can actually be damaging to those surfaces. Thick, deep wax can hold dirt and dust that will then etch or damage the material, and remember that wax build-up can cause floor tiles to become slippery and unsafe! Using too much oil on a wood surface can also allow that oil to seep into the wood, causing it to soften. To create a shine on wood products, use a soft microfiber cloth or mop to buff the surface; for other types of tiles, strip the old wax as often as needed before applying a new coat.
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