For some of us cleaning our home is like therapy, cleans the mind as well as your home. For others (most of us…) it’s a necessary evil and a chore we just cannot avoid. But whether you love or hate cleaning, it’s something that has to be done and want to ensure that you do the job as thoroughly and effectively as possible.

With spring now here and the words ‘spring cleaning’ in the front of most peoples minds we’ve made a list of what us amateur home cleaners are doing wrong and what we should be doing instead.

From damaging work surfaces using home remedies, to risking your health by not properly ventilating while you clean, these are the ten most common cleaning mistakes us homeowners are making!

1. Using dirty cleaning tools

This one is quite simply, using dirty cleaning tools spreads bacteria, dust and grime around your home. Tools like microfibre clothes, sponges and mop heads should be cleaned and sterilised after every use ideally.

2. Using the same cloth for the whole home

When on a cleaning spritz home owners will sometimes use the same cloth from the entire house. But who wants bacteria from the bathroom ending up on your kitchen worktops?? I know for one I don’t… Therefore designate separate cloths to use in different rooms. This is why we find that the microfibre bundle cloths ideal as it comes in 5 different colours!

3. Starting with the floors

Many homeowners start by blitzing the floors with the hoover (I am also guilty of this!) But the floors should be at the end of your cleaning checklist. As many professional cleaners will tell you, you should always start up high and work your way down. Otherwise, crumbs and dust can fall onto your newly cleaned floors, undoing all your hard work.

4. Mixing cleaning products

Whether using branded cleaning products or natural cleaning ingredients, like white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, you should always stick to just one. Mixing cleaning products together can cause dangerous chemical reactions.

5. Not ventilating your space

A lot of branded cleaning products tend to contain ingredients like ammonia or bleach, which can irritate your airways. For this reason, ventilation is important when cleaning with products that contain these sorts of chemicals, especially in places like bathrooms. Open windows, turn on the extractor fan and leave the room once you’ve finished cleaning to limit the effect of any chemicals to your body.

6. Using vinegar on granite or marble

As spoke about in a previous blog post, if you have granite or marble countertops, make sure to keep them well away from vinegar and any cleaning product that contains white vinegar. This cleaning product is highly acidic and can discolour and even strip the shiny surface off natural materials like stone, and we don’t want that! Always stick to a lighter surface cleaner for these.

7. Rubbing stains

Stains should always be blotted with a clean cloth, rather than rubbed. When you’re frantically trying to clean up a stain, this can be something easily forgotten but it is important. Rubbing stains can push them deep into the material and make it harder to remove in the long run.