16 Cleaning Myths That Are Probably Holding You Back

Keeping your home clean is an important step in ensuring you and your family stay healthy, but outdated or unfounded cleaning methods could be holding you back from having a truly spotless space. Whether you're using a tip from an old wives' tale that's been passed down by family or you saw an interesting cleaning trick online, if the method doesn't have a strong foundation, you're better off skipping these popular household cleaning hacks. Some cleaning tricks may work to an extent, but there are often better and less expensive options available. There are lots of myths around the effectiveness of combining substances, and using unconventional items to tackle dirt. And some online hacks, such as combining toilet cleaners, are actually dangerous and will produce harmful substances.

Common cleaners, including natural options like vinegar, are chemicals. This is why it's crucial to ensure they are being used safely and won't harm you or the surfaces you're cleaning. Reading labels and using each cleanser as intended will help it to work as well as possible. By ditching old cleaning myths, your home will sparkle and the germs will be on the run.

A combination of vinegar and baking soda is often touted as a magical cleaning solution that'll tackle any project. Unfortunately, that's not quite the case and there are some things you need to know before cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a weak base with a pH around 8 or 9, while vinegar is an acid with a pH of 2.4. When combined, they create a chemical reaction that bubbles and fizzes. Though the action of the bubbling will sometimes physically knock some of the dirt or grime loose, the product of the chemical reaction is not a strong cleaner. The acidic vinegar and basic baking soda essentially cancel each other out, leaving behind carbon dioxide gas, salt (sodium acetate), and water.

Though salt is sometimes used for cleaning, sodium acetate is not a very effective cleaner. Some baking soda and vinegar hacks may seem to work because there is more of one ingredient than the other. This ingredient won't totally neutralize and you'll get its cleaning benefits only. Rather than mixing baking soda and vinegar, try using them individually to get the best effect.

Though it may seem strange, hairspray is often recommended to help get ink stains out of fabric because it contains alcohol. Some hairsprays may contain up to 50% alcohol and could possibly remove ink in a pinch. However, one of the reasons why you shouldn't clean an ink stain with hairspray is that more modern brands often have less alcohol and some may not have any, rendering them less effective. Additionally, hairsprays have a variety of other ingredients, such as stiffeners, that could also stain or make the existing stain worse. 

Rather than risking further stains, try using rubbing or denatured alcohol. This is often an easier and less expensive option compared to hairspray, as a bottle of isopropyl alcohol can be purchased for about $2. To treat your ink stain, blot the alcohol around the stain from the wrong side of the garment, moving inward over the stain. As the ink transfers to your cleaning rag, replace it to avoid smearing.

You may think you're effectively eliminating germs and bacteria by quickly wiping down surfaces with a Clorox or Lysol wipe, but disinfecting isn't always so simple. Even when you're regularly going over these surfaces, there could still be germs left behind if you're not following the instructions. Every sanitizer or disinfectant needs a certain amount of contact time to actually kill germs and bacteria. 

Before using your disinfectant wipes or solution, read the label and make note of the contact time. You'll also want to clean your surface before disinfecting, so that no dirt gets in the way. Wipe the surface thoroughly, so you can see that it's wet, and wait. If your disinfectant starts to dry before the contact time has passed, wipe the area again. For products that need to be rinsed off after disinfecting, simply wait until the contact time is over before rinsing and drying.

While your home feels cleaner after tackling dust, dirt, and other debris, this does not kill germs or bacteria. Taking a little extra time to sanitize or disinfect after cleaning can help keep you and your family from getting sick or passing germs. While cleaning will manually remove some of the germs, disinfectants will kill almost all the rest, ensuring that your home is free of pathogens. Soap and water are great for cleaning a variety of things and will prepare the area to be disinfected.

After your regular cleaning, sanitize or disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces that are used or touched frequently. You might use disinfecting wipes, a bleach solution, or alcohol to get rid of germs in your home, but with any disinfecting product it's crucial to read the instructions. Children's toys and surfaces that come into contact with food will need to be rinsed with water after disinfecting to remove any leftover chemicals.

The old wives' tale that cleaning your windows with newspaper will produce a stunning, streak-free shine is a decades-old cleaning habit that's better left in the past. Previously, it was believed that newspapers were great for this task because their thin, slightly abrasive paper wouldn't leave lint or scratch glass but was tough enough to remove grime. Others thought they helped because the ink contained solvents that would aid in cleaning. It's up for debate whether these solvents could really make a material difference, and, in reality, newspapers could end up leaving you with more cleaning. As the paper gets wet from your cleaning solution, the ink can start to smear and could get on your hands, your window, or the window frame.

Though using newspaper on your windows won't cause any lasting harm, there are more effective methods that won't leave your hands covered in ink. Microfiber cloths are a fantastic option for cleaning windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces because of their absorbency and ability to lock in dust. These reusable cloths help you quickly clean your windows without streaks, lint, or ink smudges.

Feather dusters are long-standing, trusted cleaning tools, but it's a myth that they're the best option. Despite being designed for dusting, the feathers don't do a stand-up job of trapping dust. Instead, feather dusters tend to spread the tiny particles, transferring them into the air or onto different surfaces. This contributes to indoor air pollution, lowering the quality of the air in your home. Poor indoor air quality can be problematic for those with allergies or asthma.

Rather than kicking up a bunch of dust while trying to clean it, you can use a damp cleaning cloth or mop. The moisture should help the dust stick to your rag and prevent most of it from getting into the air. You might use a damp microfiber cloth, which can also help to trap dust, or a simple rag. Vacuum cleaners can also be helpful in eliminating dust, though you'll need to ensure it doesn't leak air and redistribute dust and dirt.

Though their sweet fragrances might make your home seem "fresher", air fresheners do not clean anything and they're not really absorbing nasty odors either. You may spray your air freshener and notice that your stinky laundry or garbage doesn't smell anymore, but the fragrances are simply masking those bad odors rather than eliminating them. In some cases, air fresheners may cover up smells from mold, causing you to miss the problem for longer. The chemicals in air fresheners can be a source of volatile organic compounds and will also add pollution to the air in your home, interfering with the air quality. This can lead to health issues, such as breathing problems, asthma attacks, headaches, and irritation of the eyes and throat.

Baking soda is a great option for actually absorbing smells in your home. A 2015 study discovered that baking soda could eliminate 70% of food waste odors, making it a great alternative for eliminating bad smells. Try setting out an open box of baking soda in smelly areas or sprinkling it in your trash. Frequently changing your garbage bag and leaving windows open will also help your home to smell fresh.

Many videos online show people combining cleaning products, but it's a myth that mixing multiple products will provide a deeper clean. It is unnecessary and potentially dangerous. Strong cleaners consist of strong chemicals, and when combined they can have reactions that prove harmful for your health. For example, mixing bleach with ammonia produces chloramine gas, and combining it with something acidic, like vinegar, creates chlorine gas. These gases are toxic, and breathing in even a small amount could cause coughing and your eyes, nose, and throat to burn. 

Rather than taking a risk, make sure to read the labels of your cleaners to know their ingredients and how to use them. Additionally, don't pour cleaners into other storage containers, as this could lead to accidental mixing (or even ingestion if it's a soda bottle). It's best to use strong cleaners on their own and in a well-ventilated space to keep yourself safe and your home clean. Wearing goggles and gloves can also help to prevent you from harming your skin or eyes while working with these chemicals.

Your parents or grandparents may have insisted that the dishwasher just can't get your plates and cups as clean as washing them yourself; however, both hand washing your dishes and using a dishwasher will get them nice and clean. However, washing dishes by hand could actually be the "germier" option if you're not caring for your sponges or dish rags properly, as they can become breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. Dirty cloths and sponges will contaminate your dishes as you try to wash them.

When it comes to killing microbes, dishwashers are almost certainly superior, reaching water temperatures between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and some have sanitizer settings. This allows you to sanitize the dishes at a very hot temperature, cleaning them and killing germs and bacteria. Unless you're using a chemical sanitizer after hand washing your dishes, the dishwasher sanitizer setting will get your dishes more microbe-free than handwashing. 

It may seem like your dishwasher gets washed every time you run a load of dishes, but this appliance may not get your dishes as clean if you neglect it. Bacteria and mold will accumulate over time, and your dishwasher might not run as efficiently. As food gets stuck in the filter and water gets trapped in tight spaces, mold and bacteria have everything they need to grow in your dishwasher. Just like dirty sponges will contaminate dishes during hand washing, it's crucial to clean your dishwasher every so often to ensure your dishes aren't harboring bacteria.

To clean your dishwasher, empty the filter and rinse it to get rid of any food particles. Dishwasher cleaning tablets, vinegar, and bleach can all be used to get your dishwasher clean again, depending on the material inside. Keep in mind that bleach can corrode metal, and you may need to avoid it if your dishwasher interior is stainless steel. If you notice water often gets trapped in the gasket or other areas, try to dry it with a clean rag after each cycle.

You may have seen online hacks claiming that your toilet can get clean with every flush by poking a hole into a Fabuloso bottle and leaving it in your toilet tank. Unfortunately, what happens when you put Fabuloso in your toilet is not a cleaner bathroom. This hack could end up harming your toilet and might not even make it much cleaner. Unless you're using an antibacterial version of Fabuloso, all it's really doing is leaving a fresh scent in your toilet.

Over time, the chemicals in the Fabuloso could slowly destroy the flapper, seals, and pieces of the fill valve, causing you to replace them sooner. Using this much excess cleaner is also more expensive and puts more chemicals into the environment when you flush. Simply scrubbing your toilet regularly with bleach or a toilet bowl cleaner will keep it sanitary and clean without doing damage to its components.

It has long been touted that Coca-Cola is able to clean toilets and remove hard water stains. While this is not untrue, there are likely better ways to get your toilet sparkling. Coca-Cola does contain phosphoric acid, and this acid is capable of eating away at hard water stains; however, it doesn't actually clean the toilet and, in some cases, the sugar may feed bacteria. Though Coca-Cola can help with hard water stains in a pinch, any acidic cleaner will take care of the job.

Instead of relying on this myth, clean your toilet regularly with toilet bowl cleaner or bleach. To remove hard water stains, use an acid, such as vinegar or a specially formulated cleaner. Using these cleaners might not feel as avant-garde, but it'll cost you less than soda. While a 20 oz bottle of coke is around $3, a gallon of vinegar is around $4 and could clean your toilet numerous times.

You might think that throwing a little extra laundry soap into the washer will get your clothes cleaner, but this idea is holding you back. Excess laundry detergent may not get rinsed out of your clothes, leaving the fabric with a scratchy, stiff, or even sticky texture. This leftover soap residue could also create odors in your washing machine. Since a lot of high-efficiency washers use over 50% less water, you might need even less detergent. Even for big loads, two tablespoons or less is plenty to get your clothes clean and smelling fresh.

It's important to remember that laundry detergents are concentrated soaps, so you really don't need much to get the job done. Clothes with soap residue may need to be soaked to get their texture back. Add 1 cup of vinegar for each quart of water and let the garments sit for an hour before washing.

Vinegar is an effective, natural cleaner that can get a variety of surfaces sparkling. While it's often recommended as an all-purpose cleaner, vinegar is not safe for all surfaces because of its acidity. Wood, natural stone, and unsealed grout can all be damaged by cleaning with vinegar or other acidic cleaners. Due to the acetic acid it contains, vinegar can be corrosive to some surfaces. This is why vinegar may harm grout, etch stone countertops, or eat into wood sealants over time.

Instead of using vinegar in these areas, try cleaning your natural stone with soap and water or a bit of rubbing alcohol, depending on the stone. For wood furniture, some gentle soap and water should do the trick for regular cleaning, while a little mineral spirits can lift things like wax buildup. Though vinegar is a super helpful cleanser and natural disinfectant, using it as an all-purpose cleaner isn't always the best choice.

Mopping is the go-to method for cleaning most floors, including hardwood, but don't assume this means you can go to town with a wet mop on them. If you want hardwood floors that look brand new, you need to be highly cognisant of how much moisture they're exposed to. Hardwood floors are very sensitive to water exposure, and using too much water while mopping can lead to damage over time. Additionally, leaving the floor to air dry after mopping could cause the wood to swell or warp because the moisture is sitting there longer.

When mopping your hardwood, make sure your mop is only damp and squeeze out as much water as possible. Cleaning one small section at a time may also help to avoid too much moisture. Once you've finished damp mopping, use a dry cloth or mop to wipe away any remaining moisture. This may also help prevent the area from looking streaky. Frequent dry mopping may also cut down on how often you need to expose your floors to water.

Because bleach is strong, some think it's the best choice to clean everything. Though bleach can work wonders on stains and is a great disinfectant, you don't need that much potency for every job. Plus, while bleach is capable of eliminating grease, it may not be as effective as other grease fighters. Additionally, bleach can damage certain surfaces like stainless steel, as it's corrosive and can oxidize metal. Natural stone and wood also shouldn't be cleaned with bleach.

Because bleach can irritate the eyes and skin, sometimes a weaker option is truly better. In most cases, soap and water are perfectly fine for cleaning your home, and bleach should be reserved for disinfecting. When you are working with bleach, be sure to dilute it properly, work in a well-ventilated space, and wear gloves or goggles.