1. Bleach is the best cleaner for your bathroom
“Bleach does not clean anything,” says Leslie Reichert, cleaning coach and author of "The Joy of Green Cleaning."“It does disinfect, but before you can disinfect a surface, you have to clean it with something that will lift off the dirt,” she advises. (Imagine trying to clean muddy feet with hand sanitizer, and you get the idea.)Wipe down your bathroom with your choice of household cleaner, thenyou can disinfect with a diluted bleach solution, Reichert says.What about those combo bottles of household cleaner + bleach? They're OK, Reichert says, but less efficient."An item with bleach in it will probably kill some of the germs but will actually be diluted with the cleaning agent, so my personal opinion is that it's not going to do a quality job," she says."Remember, the bleach has to stay on the surface for 10 minutes to kill germs, so washing with a cleaner that has bleach in it is like trying to add hair color to your shampoo."
2. Washing machines clean themselves
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it just isn't so.“This is a common misconception, because the purpose of a washing machine is to clean things, but they do need to be cleaned, too,” says Debra Johnson, home cleaning expert at Merry Maids.“Many people leave their clothes in the washing machine long after the cycle's done running, which can cause a musty smell that’s then transferred to your clothes,” she explains.Even if you're not guilty of that, you should still run a cleaning cycle every month to maintain your washer's functionality and keep it smelling fresh. If your machine doesn't have a special cycle, add a half-cup to 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup baking soda to the detergent dispenser and run a normal small cycle with hot water, Johnson advises.
Cleaning Myths That Do More Harm Than Help
Urban myths, like cleaning myths, can live on forever like a bad game of telephone. What once may have started out as an honest solution for a problem, can end up as a blatant lie wrapped in false hope! With so many websites and blogs claiming what works when it comes to housecleaning, figure out what will actually work can leave you scratching your head.Take a deep breath, put down the bleach and coffee grounds. We've turned to the experts, and are helping you sort fact from fiction when it comes to cleaning your home. Keep reading to find out the cleaning myths that do more harm than help! And click this link to read all 9 cleaning myths.