7 Biggest Cleaning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Sometimes it feels like we clean, disinfect, organize, sort and clean some more, and the work is never done. If you feel like your cleaning routine is tiresome and endless, you may actually be one of many people making some common cleaning mistakes. For example, you may have a furry friend at home and you’re only cleaning your carpets superficially with a vacuum and without a specialized pet hair remover. You may forget to also clean your window shades. Keep reading to learn more about seven of the biggest cleaning mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. You’re Cleaning without a Method — To be more efficient with your cleaning, clean with a certain order and method in mind. For example, you want to clean the room starting from the top down. Clean the ceiling fan, shades and furniture first before you work your way down to the floor. That’s because dust and other crumbs that are coming from your fan, tables, couch and other furniture will make their way down to the floor. Once you actually vacuum or mop your floors, all the dirt and debris will already be on the floor for you to clean and keep going with the rest of your cleaning tasks.
2. You’re Not Reading Cleaning Product Instructions — It’s tempting to get every cleaning product you find and want to mix them all together. Despite what those fun cleaning videos on TikTok tell you, it’s actually dangerous to mix cleaning products together. If there’s anything you learned in your high school chemistry class, you don’t want to mix chemicals together that can cause an unexpected reaction. Be sure to read the instructions on your cleaning products. If a certain amount needs to be used, measure it — and if the product needs to be diluted, read how much it needs to be diluted before you use it.
3. You Use the Same Cleaning Rag — We get it. You’re in your cleaning groove and going from one task to another as you move from one room in your home to the next. It’s a common cleaning mistake to use the same cleaning rag over and over again, but it’s not a clean thing to do. The same cleaning rag that you’re using in the kitchen will spread germs throughout the rest of your home. Use more than one cloth or sponge when you’re cleaning your home.
4. You Only Clean the Carpet Superficially — It’s easy to fall into the trap of going to clean your living room carpet, grabbing your vacuum and calling it a day. However, if you’re only cleaning your carpet superficially by vacuuming, you’re not getting a deep enough clean. This is especially important if you have young children or pets at home that are always getting debris into the carpet. Get a handy tool like a dog hair remover brush because you can use this same brush to groom your pet and remove stray pet hair from your carpet. Speaking of grooming your dog…
5. You’re Not Grooming Your Pets Enough — According to the American Cleaning Institute, with the wide array of cleaning products available today, it’s easier than ever to help keep your home clean — even with pets. However, if you don’t have a grooming schedule in place with your pet, it’s time to spend a few minutes every day brushing your furry friend. If you want a tool that both brushes your dog’s or cat’s fur and can also remove excess pet hair, get the Uproot Cleaner Pro tool that can remove excess fur and groom your pet, too!
6. You Forget to Clean Window Shades — It’s easy to forget to clean window shades, but you still need to clean them because that’s an area where plenty of dust accumulates. Window shades should be cleaned regularly and properly. The first step is to wipe them down with a clean microfiber cloth. Don’t use a wet cloth which can get stains on your shades and only makes them harder to clean. Don’t use a feather duster on your window shades which can end up spreading dust around the room instead of removing it. Once you wipe away the dust with the microfiber cloth, you can use a damp cloth to then wipe away any remaining stains or debris.
7. You’re Not Maintaining Cleaning Tools — The same way you need to sharpen your knives from time to time, you need to make sure your cleaning tools and appliances are taken care of. When was the last time you made sure that not only did you clean off the lint from your dryer’s lint trap, but you took a look underneath the lint trap to make sure it was clean? If you’re using a handy tool like a portable pet hair remover, make sure you’re removing the pet hair from the tool and taking care of it as you go. Don’t let your tools, especially if they have metal on them, get rusty or be exposed to extreme temperatures.