Harmful Cleaning Mistakes You Could Be Making

There are many different and great reasons that we clean our homes and businesses, but one of the most important of those reasons is to sanitize and keep us from getting sick. Unfortunately, there are many cleaning mistakes we make on a daily basis that could be putting the people inside our homes at harm. Find out some of the most common and potentially harmful cleaning mistakes below.

Accidental Chemical Mixing

The things we use to clean are homes are made to kill germs and bacteria and sometimes we use a mix of things to help get some extra cleaning oompf for tough jobs. When mixing cleaning solutions together, whether store bought or homemade, it should be done with the utmost caution. One of the most dangerous combinations that should never be mixed is ammonia and bleach. These two tough cleaning agents when mixed together produce harmful fumes that can cause a number of dangerous things in the body.

Not Properly Cleaning After Handling Raw Meat

It is not uncommon for someone to be prepping for a meal by cutting up some meat and then move on to cutting veggies with the same tools. This can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria and then to foodborne illness. Prevent this by thoroughly washing anything you cut meat with before using for anything else or getting a color coded knife and cutting board system to use for different items.

Ignoring Ventilation Recommendations

Many store bought cleaning solutions have a recommendation to use them in a well ventilated space and many of us are not doing that. Some studies have shown that using cleaning products without ventilation can be as harmful to our lungs as smoking. So stop ignoring the cues to open up those windows. Alternatively you can opt for green cleaning solutions or homemade solutions with natural ingredients such as vinegar.

Leaving Lint in the Dryer

Nearly all of us know that you are supposed to clean the lint trap in the dryer after every load, yet few of us do it because we don’t feel the issue is as heavy as it is made to be. Contrary to those instincts, leaving lint in the trap is a pretty hefty fire hazard. Around 2,900 dryer fires are reported a year in America and around one third of them could have been prevented by cleaning the lint trap. So, always clean the lint trap between loads and don’t forget to clean out the ductwork once a year.

Infrequent Fridge Cleaning

There is a reason so many jokes are made about old leftovers in the fridge, because so many people leave things in the fridge for them to be forgotten. If you have children that reach into the fridge to feed themselves lunch or a snack this can pose a threat. They could grab something that is just past expired and chow down only to end up with some sort of food poisoning. Let’s face it if we aren’t paying attention it can happen to us adults too.

Keep these tips in mind the next time you are cleaning your home to keep yourself and everyone around you safe and happy so you can enjoy your freshly cleaned space.

For more great cleaning tips and advice please check out our affiliate, All Kleen Carpets. And stay tuned to our blog for more advice about commercial and residential home and business buying. 

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