Cleaning can be a job that some people dread, while others find it therapeutic to clean their homes as it helps them relax and feel comfortable in their house.
But did you know you could be doing it all wrong?
TikTok cleaning sensation Caroline Solomon revealed that you might be making some common mistakes when cleaning your home that could lead to more surface bacteria than you would like to know about.
In a video, Caroline shared some common mistakes people make and how to rectify them.
1. Cleaning the toilet
Caroline said one mistake people make whilst cleaning the toilet is putting the toilet brush straight back into its holder when they are finished.
She said: "Putting your toilet brush directly in the toilet holder right after you clean the toilet… Instead, I recommend air drying the toilet brush underneath the toilet seat here, so it doesn't breed bacteria in the toilet holder."
Caroline does this by lifting the toilet seat and wedging the handle of the toilet brush underneath to allow the brush to dry.
2. Cleaning from the ground up
Another common mistake is starting your cleaning from the bottom and working your way up.
Caroline said: "Instead, clean from the top down so that when you're dusting or cleaning off surfaces, crumbs fall to the floor, and then you can vacuum and mop."
This stops you from having to clean the floor twice while you spruce up the house.
3. Using too much laundry detergent
A little known fact is that you don't need very much detergent when washing your clothes.
Caroline explained: "You only need about a tablespoon of laundry detergent per regular load. Otherwise, too much laundry detergent can strain the machine and actually leave a gross soapy residue on your clothes."
4. Spraying cleaner directly on surfaces
Have you ever cleaned down your counter and noticed that you could see lots of streaks when it has dried? Well, Caroline may have the answer for you.
She said: "Spraying cleaner directly onto furniture instead of on your paper towel or cleaning cloth. This will prevent streaky surfaces and product build-up."
5. Cleaning the microwave
Microwaves can become dirty very quickly as the steam from whatever we are heating rises to the top of the microwave.
One common mistake is that people often just wipe the visible stains. However, this isn't enough.
Caroline said: "Just wiping down the splattered stains inside your microwave isn't enough.
"Microwave a cup of half vinegar and half water for two minutes. The steam released from the vinegar will make it easy to remove the residue."
