Cómo limpiar la casa y evitar los 15 errores más comunes

1. Comenzar por los muebles

Uno de los errores de limpieza más comunes es comenzar a limpiar por los muebles y todas las superficies, dejando el suelo para el final. Y resulta que lo recomendable es todo lo contrario: empezar por el suelo, y luego el resto. ¿Por qué? Pues porque el suelo es uno de los lugares donse se acumula más suciedad y, al limpiarlo, podemos desplazar sin querer los gérmenes a las superficies que habíamos limpiado previamente.

2. Limpiar de forma desordenada

Una vez limpiado el suelo, sí es recomendable seguir un orden que vaya de arriba abajo. O sea que primero hay que limpiar las superficies de muebles y estanterías que están más elevadas e ir descendiendo. Así evitas que el polvo pueda caer sobre las superficies que ya has limpiado.

3. Pasar la escoba en lugar del aspirador

Siempre que puedas, utiliza el aspirador. La escoba desplaza el polvo y la suciedad de un lugar a otro, pero no los acaba de eliminar del todo. El aspirador, en cambio, recoge mucho mejor todas las partículas. Ahora bien, para evitar riesgos debes vaciar la bolsa donde se acumula la suciedad, o cambiarla después de cada uso.

4. Utilizar los mismos productos y bayetas para todo

5. Forget to disinfect

Another typical cleaning and order error, caused on many occasions by the abuse of multipurpose products, is forgetting to disinfect certain elements and rooms. For the bathroom, for example, it is necessary to use a specific cleaner that, in addition to cleaning, disinfects. And especially in the toilet, remembering to also clean the brush and the container where it is put.

6. Do not clean rags, cloths, chamois …

One of the basic principles of proper cleaning is to use utensils and tools that are clean. It seems like a no-brainer, but we often put them away after use without cleaning them … Using dirty rags, cloths, chamois, mops, and brooms not only makes cleaning difficult, but can "mess" rather than "clean", and be harmful to health by accumulating and spreading germs.

7. Let everything air dry

Another classic cleaning mistake is letting furniture, countertops and floors dry in the open air after cleaning them with a liquid cleaner, which causes marks, stains or drops of the product to be left when drying. To avoid this, dry furniture and partition surfaces with microfiber cloths, and wipe the floor with a dry mop.

8. Allow dust to accumulate

When opening doors and windows, ventilating the house, or when we simply circulate through it, the dust invades everything silently, but we only clean it from the most visible places. The heights of shelves and cabinets, the frames, joints and behind the doors, under the beds, or between the cushions and the seams of sofas and armchairs are some of her favorite places. If you don't remove it regularly, it may end up moving to clean areas.

9. Trust the duster

Unless they are made of an electrostatic material that really "catches" dust, the old dusters only move it, they don't pick it up. The best way to remove dust are folded chamois and microfiber cloths, change sides as they accumulate dirt, and wash them after use.

10. Neglecting switches, knobs, knobs …

Light switches, doorknobs and appliance controls are some of the points in the house that we literally touch the most and, therefore, where more germs and bacteria are deposited. If you want to prevent them from accumulating and spreading, it is best to clean them periodically. To get to the deepest point, you can use toothbrushes, toothpicks, or cotton swabs like those used for the ears.

11. Clean the windows with direct sunlight

It is very good to wait until it does not rain to clean the windows. But never do it in direct sunlight, since the glass cleaner dries quickly without giving you time to remove all the product remains. And it also causes the typical reflections, which we do not see until the sun disappears.

12. Spray directly onto surfaces

Except in the cases in which the product indicates to do so, the cleaners should be sprayed on the cloths or rags, never directly on the surfaces that you are going to clean. For one thing, you won't waste product. And on the other hand, you will avoid possible damage to the furniture or the parts that you are going to clean, since these products can be very abrasive in the long term if they are applied directly.

13. Do not clean curtains, cushions, mattresses …

Rarely, if ever, do we remember to clean curtains, cushions, pillows or mattresses, which are places where a lot of dirt and infinite mites accumulate. The curtains should be vacuumed regularly and cleaned at least once every two months. The cushions, shake them and wash them once a month, as well as the cushion covers and mattress covers. And the mattress, change it every ten years, turn it regularly and disinfect it.

14. Skip the appliances

Another widespread cleaning mistake is believing that you don't need to clean your washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and other appliances. And nothing could be further from reality. The washing machine collects dirt, fabric particles, mold and bad odors. The dishwasher, germs and food debris. And the microwave and the oven, grease, splashes and food. To avoid this, they must be washed periodically.

15. Give up cleaning nooks and crannies

Whether due to carelessness or due to the difficulties involved, we also tend to forget to clean hard-to-reach corners and nooks such as sliding door guides, blind slats, radiator structures, or the back of the refrigerator. To avoid this you can use the vacuum cleaner, or go to the last corner with the help of a kitchen spatula covered with a cloth or an old sock, for example.

1. Start with the furniture

One of the most common cleaning mistakes is to start cleaning the furniture and all surfaces, saving the floor for last. And it turns out that the recommended thing is the opposite: start with the ground, and then the rest. Why? Well, because the floor is one of the places where more dirt accumulates and, when cleaning it, we can inadvertently move germs to the surfaces that we had previously cleaned.

2. Clean in a messy way

Once the floor has been cleaned, it is advisable to follow an order that goes from top to bottom. So first you have to clean the surfaces of furniture and shelves that are higher and lower. This way you avoid that dust can fall on the surfaces that you have already cleaned.

3. Pass the broom instead of the vacuum cleaner

Whenever you can, use the vacuum cleaner. The broom moves dust and dirt from one place to another, but it does not completely remove them. The vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, collects all the particles much better. Now, to avoid risks, you must empty the bag where dirt accumulates, or change it after each use.

4. Use the same products and cloths for everything

Don't use the same rags and utensils to clean the whole house. The washcloths and scrubbers in the bathroom, for example, cannot be used in other rooms, and vice versa. Don't be fooled by all-purpose cleaners, either. There is no product that cleans everything. Each type of surface or material requires a suitable product. And if you don't want to abuse chemicals, there are plenty of homemade cleaning products that are much more environmentally friendly and less harmful to your health.

5. Forget to disinfect

Another typical cleaning and order error , caused on many occasions by the abuse of multipurpose products, is forgetting to disinfect certain elements and rooms. For the bathroom, for example, it is necessary to use a specific cleaner that, in addition to cleaning, disinfects. And especially in the toilet, remembering to also clean the brush and the container where it is put.

6. Do not clean rags, cloths, chamois …

One of the basic principles of proper cleaning is to use utensils and tools that are clean. It seems like a no-brainer, but we often put them away after using them without cleaning them … Using dirty rags, cloths, chamois, mops, and brooms not only makes cleaning difficult, but can "mess" rather than "clean", and be harmful to health by accumulating and spreading germs.

7. Let everything air dry

Another classic cleaning mistake is letting furniture, countertops and floors dry in the open air after cleaning them with a liquid cleaner, which causes marks, stains or drops of the product to be left when drying. To avoid this, dry furniture and partition surfaces with microfiber cloths, and wipe the floor with a dry mop.

8. Allow dust to accumulate

Dust is one of the worst enemies of cleaning. When opening doors and windows, ventilating the house, or when we simply circulate through it, the dust invades everything silently, but we only clean it from the most visible places. The heights of shelves and cabinets, the frames, joints and behind the doors, under the beds, or between the cushions and the seams of sofas and armchairs are some of his favorite places. If you don't remove it regularly, it may end up moving to clean areas.

9. Trust the duster

Unless they are made of an electrostatic material that really "catches" dust, the old dusters only move it, they don't pick it up. The best way to remove dust are folded chamois and microfiber cloths, change sides as they accumulate, and wash them after use.

10. Neglecting switches, knobs, knobs …

Light switches, doorknobs and appliance controls are some of the points in the house that we literally touch the most and, therefore, where more germs and bacteria are deposited. If you want to prevent them from accumulating and spreading through the hands that are touching them, it is best to clean them periodically. To get to the deepest point, you can help yourself with toothbrushes, toothpicks or swabs like those used for the ears.

11. Clean the windows with direct sunlight

It is very good to wait until it does not rain to clean the windows. But never do it in direct sunlight, since the glass cleaner dries quickly without giving you time to remove all the product remains. And it also causes the typical reflections, which we do not see until the sun disappears.

12. Spray directly onto surfaces

Except in cases where the product indicates to do so, the cleaners should be sprayed on the cloths or rags, never directly on the surfaces that you are going to clean. On the one hand, you will not waste product. And on the other, you will avoid possible damage to the furniture or the pieces that you are going to clean, since these products can be very abrasive in the long term if they are applied directly.

13. Do not clean curtains, cushions, mattresses …

We sweep and mop the floor, dust, clean the kitchen and bathroom, and voila! We rarely, if ever, remember to clean curtains, cushions, pillows or mattresses, which are places where a lot of dirt and infinite mites accumulate. The curtains should be vacuumed regularly and cleaned at least once every two months. The cushions, shake them and wash them once a month, as well as the cushion covers and mattress covers. And the mattress, change it every ten years, turn it regularly and disinfect it with the help of bicarbonate.

14. Skip the appliances

Another widespread cleaning mistake is believing that you don't need to clean your washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, oven, and other appliances. And nothing could be further from reality. The washing machine collects dirt, fabric particles, mold and bad odors. The dishwasher, germs and food scraps. And the microwave and oven, grease, splashes and food scraps. To avoid this, you have to wash them periodically with specific products or with some of our homemade cleaning tricks.

15. Give up cleaning nooks and crannies

Whether due to carelessness or due to the difficulties involved, we also tend to forget to clean hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, such as sliding door guides, blind slats, radiator frames, or the back of the refrigerator. To avoid this, you can use the vacuum cleaner, or reach the last corner with the help of a kitchen spatula covered with a cloth or an old sock, for example.