Keeping the house clean is challenging. No matter how often you vacuum, mop, or wipe down a surface, dust accumulates just as quickly and repeatedly. You can even occasionally hire professionals to do the job or invest in modern cleaning solutions. Still, your effort and money might be in vain if you don’t pay attention to some common cleaning blunders. Below, we’ve listed nine mistakes you must avoid when cleaning your home.
Using the same cloth
Dust, pet dander, and airborne pollutants collect on various surfaces inside the home. But not every surface can be thoroughly cleaned with the same piece of cloth. It’s advisable to use a microfiber cloth for cleaning kitchen and home appliances as it efficiently removes stains and smudges and is gentle on glass and plastic surfaces. Large-size washcloths are best for kitchen counters and furniture surfaces. Using different cloths prevents dust and grime from cross-contaminating surfaces and keeps the indoors spotless.
Using cleaning products excessively
Cleaning solutions are laced with chemicals and strong industrial compounds synthesized to tackle the dirt. However, using them excessively or mixing two products can trigger an adverse toxic reaction. If two formulas react upon contact, they may release fumes, which, if inhaled, can cause serious health complications. Most cleaning products are manufactured for individual use, so never mix them with another solution to increase their efficacy.
Using abrasive products on tiles
Porcelain tiles lose their sheen and texture if repeatedly exposed to abrasive materials. Industrial-strength cleaners with a strong formula can rob them of their pearlescent shine. Even abrasive cloths designed to pick up microscopic dirt particles are too harsh for porcelain tiles. So, it’s always best to use a light sponge to wipe down these tiles and apply minimal cleaning products. You can even buy tile cleaners with specific formulas that are suitable for such surfaces.
Not using a disinfectant
Simply cleaning won’t suffice. Environmental pollutants and allergens linger around even after using industrial-strength cleaner formulas. That’s why it’s necessary to follow up with a coat of disinfectant. Spraying the surface with a disinfectant after cleaning eliminates most germs and allergens, preventing bacterial and viral infections from spreading.
Rubbing stains
Rubbing stains is one of the most common and significant home cleaning mistakes, especially if the stain is on a cloth or fabric. Rubbing the stain pushes the leftover residue deep into the fabric, making it impossible to remove it after a couple of hot washes and dry cycles. Experts recommend using a little liquid soap and a clean cloth to dab and absorb such stains. Once the stain is absorbed, the fabric should be soaked in a stain remover solution. You can scrub off the residue while holding the fabric immersed in the solution.
Spraying directly on electronic devices
TVs, entertainment systems, and smart gadgets installed at home require utmost care and attention to maintain their performance and increase their life. Unfortunately, many homeowners make the silly mistake of using a cleaner spray directly on the electronic device. Even if the device is switched off, spraying a cleaning solution directly on its surface is never a good idea. You should first spray the solution onto a microfiber cloth designed for electronics and then gently wipe the surface clean.
Not cleaning from top to bottom
Sweeping and mopping the floors should ideally be the last task. That’s because the dirt and grime you wipe off appliances, furniture, and furnishings settle on the floor. So, if you’ve already mopped, you’ll have to unnecessarily mop again. The same idea applies when cleaning multiple rooms: start from one end of the house and proceed in one direction to prevent dirt from moving around from one room to another and back again.
Cleaning in a cooped-up environment
Always open a window or door of the room before you start cleaning. Sweeping and mopping debris off surfaces releases microscopic allergens in the air, and inhaling these substances increases the risk of allergies or infections that trigger respiratory ailments. Industrial cleaning products also release toxic fumes that should not be inhaled continuously in a closed environment. Besides opening a window or door, turn on the air purifier in the room to absorb these allergens if you have one.
Not emptying the vacuum
Dust bags inside a vacuum cleaner can store a limited quantity of dirt and debris. Not emptying them regularly affects their suction and leads to other problems. For example, the cleaner might overheat or catch fire due to excess debris in the dust bag. It’s advisable to empty the bag after every use and clean the vacuum nozzles. Remember that, besides dust, the vacuum also picks up microfibers and lint from cloth surfaces like carpets and furnishings around the home. This causes the bags to fill up faster than estimated.
Simple things like using the correct type of cloth, cleaning formula, and accessories can make all the difference in achieving a clean and tidy home. The frequency of cleaning can differ depending on the home’s general layout and size. Planning and organizing the cleaning schedule will dramatically impact the efficiency of a cleaning job.
Sinus infection or sinusitis is primarily an inflammation of your nasal passage lining that can develop into acute sinus infections. The pressure that the bacterial mucus builds up may assert itself on the dental nerve endings and can cause a severe toothache.
Here are 5 tooth pain relief techniques that can alleviate the discomfort in your mouth due to sinus infection:
The term storage is usually defined as specific and particular spaces or areas allocated and allotted to store specific items to incorporate systematic living. Keeping up with the definition of it, since the inception of modern day living, storage has been a crucial, essential, and indispensable necessity in one’s life. This word has become so common that considering it a separate commodity is a rarity. The storage business, although a completely isolated business, has amalgamated itself as a part of architectural and interior design in the years of evolution.
Comprehending life without proper storage around oneself is an impossible feat. Since times unrecorded, humans, being an advanced species of living beings, demanded, conceived, and incorporated more of change, which was brought forward by new ideas as the generation proceeded to new millenniums. From the ages when written records of human life does not exist, remains unearthed from the depths of prior colonies, exhibit the beginning of what we know today as storage. Compelled by the mundane requirement of clean and organized living, populations in and around erstwhile cities had begun welcoming the idea of proper storage. Having introduced a wild demand of proper storage options, business in the sector folded multiple times to make it a booming and profitable market. This was long realized as a commodity which will only progress and improve with time and never fall out of the to-do and demand list of consumers.
Fast forwarding our clocks to modern past, just as everything else around the human world participated in a never-ending race of evolution, the storage industry did not stay much behind. The course in which customer’s demand structure changed, the ideas conceived in the now well-known design labs also evolved. From passing through an era of reliable and dependable classical ideas behind storage, to accepting and investing in modern, state of the art designs, which incorporate smart design, clean cut style, and optimum accessibility, the market with its consumer on one end and with manufacturers, new ones and old stalwarts on the other, it has only been an upward trip for both parties.
Moving past once existing stereo types, the young crowd of investors have opened new doors of opportunities and space for younger minds to experiment with their not-so-usual designs and concepts, thus making the market an ideal incubator for new companies and design firms to take birth and grow in.
Being a part of a charitable cause helps promote the greater good and can also make the donor feel good about themselves. Apart from the good vibes, it comes with another advantage, i.e., tax benefits. However, before filing tax returns, there are certain guidelines you shouldn’t overlook. Read further to know how you can make the most of your philanthropic endeavors.
Claims excluded as tax deductions under charitable donations
Some contributions stated below can’t be used to file tax deductions –
Limits on charitable donations
The IRS has levied certain limits on the amount of tax benefits one can claim using charitable donations. Typically, your claims of charitable contributions shouldn’t exceed 50% of the adjusted gross income. In some cases, depending on the type of contribution made, such as a property, the limit on the tax benefit can be further reduced to anywhere between 20% and 30%. If your charitable donations are more than the prescribed limit, then the surplus amount will be moved to the next year’s tax filing season, so that you can claim your benefits then.