Are Your Cleaning Habits Doing More Harm Than Good?
Quelle: VIDEOELEPHANT (Glomex)
Many common cleaning habits can be counterproductive, costing time and energy, and even damaging surfaces. Experts have found that some practices often do more harm than good. Here are some strategies that experts use to clean smarter and easier. Vacuum cleaners, mops, and dust cloths should be kept clean to ensure optimal performance. Daily maintenance prevents tasks from accumulating. "Don't postpone all the cleaning and tidying for later," advises Katrina Teeple, founder of Operation Organization. Small tasks, like wiping surfaces or immediately putting away items, reduce the workload on weekends. Overloading appliances can reduce their effectiveness and lead to machine wear. "If you overload the dishwasher, the dishes won't get properly clean, and if you stuff the machine, the laundry won't move properly," explains Teeple. The order of cleaning also affects the result. Becky Rapinchuk, founder of Clean Mama, points out: "Start at the top and work your way down" so that dust and dirt from surfaces don't fall onto freshly cleaned floors. Less frequent tasks, like deep cleaning ovens, mattresses, or air conditioners, should be planned ahead. Cleaning products should be used according to the instructions, sponges should be changed between different surfaces, and heavily touched areas like door handles or baseboards should not be overlooked. Teeple recommends combining cleaning with podcasts or TV shows to "change the attitude towards cleaning from something you have to do to something you get to do."