10 Cleaning Myths Debunked

FALSE: Having clean windows doesn’t necessarily mean having to splurge on top-notch cleaning sprays. In fact, simplicity is key when you’re wiping down your windows. You can even skip commercial cleaners altogether and achieve great results by using your own homemade solution by mixing equal parts vinegar and water.

TRUE: This might sound strange but if you wash your windows with the sunlight directly onto them, the heat from the sun will dry the windows too quickly, which in turn leaves them looking streaky. To achieve a streak-free shine, you’ll want to make sure that you wipe down your windows when the sun isn’t out or directly hitting them.

FALSE: Just because you rely on your washing machine to get your threads looking spotless doesn’t mean that things are always squeaky clean on the inside. Your washing machine needs a good deep cleaning every now and then to keep it working its best, so it’s best to run a short but hot wash cycle from time to time with the works (detergent and, if it’s been a while, maybe some bleach) and then rinse the machine out.

FALSE: The aisle of cleaning products at your supermarket has a spray and solution for just about every household chore, but specialty cleaners are less important to maintain a clean home than you may think. As long as you’ve got the general household cleaning essentials, you’re good to go for most cleaning jobs in your house.

TRUE: Keeping a bit of foliage in your home might be an aesthetic choice as opposed to a practical one, but having plants in your home actually does clean and purify the air throughout it, giving you a healthier, fresher living environment as a result. Varieties like peace lilies, Boston ferns, and English ivy do the job exceptionally well.

FALSE: There are some pieces of dishware that shouldn’t go in your dishwasher – knives, for example, tend to get duller when washed in the machine as opposed to by hand -- but silver cutlery and kitchenware aren’t on the list. While washing silver by hand is definitely gentler than throwing them in the dishwasher, there’s no problem with putting it in the machine, either.

FALSE: When you’re tackling stubborn bathroom stains, your instinct may be to reach for chlorine bleach, but in reality, the bleach will do the opposite of what you want it to do: instead of getting rid of stains, chlorine bleach sets them.

FALSE: Utilizing a commercial oven cleaner to clean out the inside of your oven is fine, but only if your oven isn’t a self-cleaning oven. If it is, the commercial cleaners could actually damage the walls of your oven. Instead, opt for a homemade oven-cleaning paste that works wonders on self-cleaning and non-self-cleaning ovens alike.

TRUE: For the most part, anyway. Some kitchen and cookware needs a good soak before you can scrub away at it, but the rule definitely doesn’t apply across the board. Pieces like stainless steel pots and pans should actually never be soaked, since they are prone to water stains and soaking them could result in pitted surfaces. You should also avoid soaking your wooden utensils, since the water will cause it to warp and split.