Whether you tidy up your home on the weekend or throughout the week, cleaning up is probably an important part of your routine. Maintaining cleanliness not only keeps disease-carrying viruses and bacteria at bay, but a neat environment can also make you feel focused and calm. While you may swear by your go-to tricks, it might be time to revisit them as some cleanup techniques and tools could be making your home dirtier.

Using rags and sponges
Cleaning cloth and sponges accumulate harmful bacteria over time with repeated use. While it is a sustainable and environment-friendly idea to reuse rags instead of using fresh paper towels all the time, the cloth should itself be clean. Sponges are notorious for transferring germs as well. Although you may use disinfecting sprays before you wipe, the grime and germs from old, overused sponges or rags can get onto these surfaces. To fix this, maintain a separate microfiber cloth for each room and toss them in the washing machine after every use.

Spraying cleaner directly onto surfaces
Another common mistake is spraying cleaning solution or disinfectant spray directly onto surfaces such as glass, wood, or granite. This will cause a buildup and leave you with streaky and greasy surfaces around the house. Instead, spritz a cloth or paper towel with the disinfecting spray first, and then wipe the surfaces with that cloth. For best results, you can opt for a multi-surface cleaner like Clorox’s Pine-Sol disinfectant, which cleans and deodorizes surfaces without leaving a sticky residue.

Using feather dusters
These dusters can seem convenient and efficient in reaching hard-to-access corners. Feather dusters are also advertised as tools that can trap dust, however, they simply transfer the dust from one surface to another or suspend the particles in the air or on the floor. Instead, you can use a paper towel or microfiber cloth along with a disinfecting spray to avoid leaving dust particles everywhere.

Not cleaning the sink regularly
The sink can harbor more bacteria than other surfaces in the house as it is perpetually moist due to repeated use. It also has food particles stuck to its inner surface. This makes the sink a favorable environment for bacteria and fungus to grow. So, it is crucial to scrub the sink every day and use cleaners and disinfecting sprays to ensure they keep the bacteria away.

Using dish soap for chopping boards
Dishwashing liquid or soap can only get rid of visible food particles and residue on the chopping board. However, tiny cuts in the wooden and plastic boards can trap microscopic food particles, making the board a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. These germs can get transferred to fresh food that you prep on the chopping board the next time you use it. To effectively eliminate the germs, soak your chopping board in hydrogen peroxide solution or scrub it with a slice of lemon and rock salt.

Not cleaning the washing machine
Stains from clothes, skin cells, and dust mites can linger in the washing machine drum or stick to the detergent dispenser and the door. This can make the washed clothes stinky and come out not entirely clean. To fix this, run a self-clean cycle (i.e., with no clothes in the machine) on the hottest setting and add one cup of baking soda and one liter of vinegar to the water. Open the lid and leave it on pause for an hour to let the baking soda–vinegar mixture sit. Close the lid and let the wash cycle finish. Wipe the insides dry and leave the lid open between loads so that the drum stays dry. If using a laundromat, you can use a disinfecting spray for dryers and laundry baskets while using laundry additives to disinfect the washer.

Placing wet toilet brush into holder
The brush that has been used to clean the toilet should not be placed in the holder right away. The wet toilet brush contains harmful bacteria that can multiply in a moist environment and be transferred back to the toilet the next time you use the brush. To avoid this, let the brush dry completely before putting it back into the holder. You can also use disinfecting sprays for your bathroom and toilet seats to kill the lingering bacteria.

Not cleaning the vacuum cleaner
If you do not clean the filter or change vacuum bags, the vacuum cleaner will not work efficiently. The machine will not suck in as much dirt as it normally would, and the dusty vent will release some of that filth back into the air. So, clean the filter and replace the bags when they are full. Also, wipe the hose, vent, and attachments with a damp microfiber cloth.

Overloading and not cleaning the dishwasher
Overloading the dishwasher can prevent the soap and water from reaching all the utensils, leaving the dishes dirty. When not cleaned thoroughly, dirt and food particles can accumulate in the nooks and crannies and become a breeding ground for germs. You should empty the filter at least once a month and run the machine through a cleaning cycle once in 15 days.

Starting with the floor
If you clean the floor before you wipe the furniture, windows, and ceiling fans, the dirt from these objects can dirty the floor again. Instead, begin with wiping the ceiling fans using a disinfecting spray and then move to the windows, counters, side tables, chairs, and finally the floor.

While single-use plastic trash bags are common across households, they are harmful to the environment. We recommend switching to biodegradable garbage bags for the kitchen to help minimize plastic waste.