13 March 5 Spring Cleaning Tips You Shouldn't Follow March 13, 2019 By NPI Marketing Team Cleaning Tips appliances, floors, kitchen, spring 0 5 SPRING CLEANING TIPS YOU SHOULDN'T FOLLOW March 13, 2019 | Cleaning Tips | Spring, floors, kitchen, appliances The first day of spring is right around the corner, and you know what that means—it’s time to come out of hibernation and get your place spic and span. There’s no shortage of spring cleaning tips scattered across the internet, but which ones should you really follow? We’ll show which ones you need to avoid and what to do instead to save you time and money. 1. Dousing Carpet Stains When you spill wine on the carpet, your first impulse might be to dilute, dilute, dilute to keep the stain from ruining the fibers. This is actually one of the worst things you can do. Instead of saturating the stain with water or carpet cleaner, which can break down carpet fibers and push staining material down into the pad and underlayment, focus on blotting the stain. You’ll draw liquid out of the carpet fibers this way, and you can repeat by lightly misting the area with water or cleaner until the stain is gone. 2. Lemons in the Garbage Disposal This is one of those myths that’s hard to shake—after all, who doesn’t like the idea of refreshing their disposal with lemon? The problem is this: the same acid that cuts through grease can actually corrode the metal blades inside the disposal, shortening the life of the appliance in the long run. If you want to keep your garbage disposal clean and fresh, use baking soda instead, along with a few ice cubes. The baking soda acts as a light abrasive and odor neutralizer without causing damage, while the ice clears away any debris that’s built up in the blades. 3. Handwashing Dishes If you’ve ever been told that it’s better to handwash dishes than put them in the dishwasher, the reasons are probably outdated. First, handwashing dishes doesn’t generally save water—in fact, most modern dishwashers use far less water (and get your dishes cleaner) than handwashing. Unless your dishes state that they’re not dishwasher safe, feel free to throw them in. You also don’t need to spend much time pre-rinsing dishes before they go in the washer. Dishwashers clean dishes best when there’s a bit of food residue still on them (this gives the dish detergent something stick to). Just scrape the dishes to remove all the large debris and you’re good to go. 4. Feather Dusters Feather dusters look like they should work great, but depending on what they’re made from they can be expensive and a waste of your time. While ostrich feather dusters do naturally attract dust, they’re expensive and hard to clean. Other types of feather dusters just spread dust around, and if you have allergies you want to avoid kicking up dust and dander whenever you can. A much better solution? Disposable dry dust cloths. Look for ones that are electrostatically charged to attract and trap dust. 5. Polishing Floors Every Week If you’re one of those people who revel in spotless polished floors and furniture, we don’t blame you. It’s easy to overdo it though, and putting polish on top of polish is a recipe for dull, sticky buildup. If you’re polishing your floor every week, that’s too much. Layers of built-up polish can even trap debris, causing scratches to these surfaces over time. If you notice your floors or furniture getting dusty between polishings, a lightly dampened cloth will do the trick to get these surfaces gleaming again. Call National Property Inspections Today Our expert inspectors have the knowledge and experience to assess all your home’s major systems and provide a comprehensive report. Find an inspector near you today to make your appointment. Comments are closed.