10 Cleaning MISTAKES That You Are Doing That Makes Your House DIRITIER!

1. Using the same cloth everywhere.

Streaky surfaces? You might be over-using your cleaning cloth and spreading germs while you're at it. Even if your towel doesn't look old, it should be washed after each use since it's used on high-traffic dirtier areas.

2. Using only a feather duster. Period.

We'll give you a thumbs up for dusting, but a thumbs down for using a tool that only spreads dust from one surface to another. Use a microfiber cloth instead, which will grab — and hold onto — particles.

3. Not dusting your windows.

Before washing them, that is. If you forget to tackle the dust on your sills, any window cleaner that drips onto the frame will become a murky mess of dusty liquid. A vacuum or microfiber cloth will tackle this mess nicely.

4. Storing a wet toilet brush.

Well hello, breeding ground for bacteria! Instead of just dropping your wet brush into the holder, set it across the seat so it can drip-dry over the bowl before putting it away for good.

5. Forgetting your dustbin.

If you notice an unpleasant odour in your kitchen, it might be an indicator that you haven't clean your dustbin in awhile. Wipe it down once a week with a cleaner containing bleach to keep nasty smells under control.

6. Using dish soap for everything.

While this grease-fighting product is powerful, it leaves streaks behind on surfaces that aren't plates and cups. So you should steer clear of using this liquid soap on your car windows and mirrors.

7. Using dirty sponges.

These cleaning superheroes won't, in fact, be that helpful if you don't clean and sanitise (and replace them every month). To do this, soak your sponge in water, place it in a microwavable dish, then heat it on high for a minute.

8. Forgetting to clean your vacuum.

Forget this step and you'll just end up pushing dirt around instead of actually cleaning. For bagless vacuums, empty the canister after every use. Or if yours has a bag, replace it once it's one-third full.

9. Ignoring super germy remotes.

These things have been touched by a lot of people and have a lot of germs, so take to it with a disinfectant wipe at least once a week.

10. Scrubbing carpet spills

If you drop something like coffee or red wine on the carpet, don’t immediately rush to scrub it off.

Scrubbing untwists carpet fibres and distorts the pile, and once the damage is done, it's permanent. So although you might be able to eventually get the stain out of the carpet, you won't be able to untwist the carpet fibres.

Instead of scrubbing, blot the spill with a paper towel until it’s dry, and then treat it with stain remover, after testing the product in a hidden area of carpet to make sure it won't fade the colour.