As a professional cleaning technician, I often run across products that actually create more work and can cause damage in the home. Most people are unaware that these three products are causing a problem until it becomes obvious. Some of the damage can be reversed with a thorough cleaning process or by professional cleaners. However, if you want to really maintain a cleaner home, it is best to just stop using these three products.
1. BAR SOAP
Bar soap creates a lot of unsightly build up! Bar soap used in the showers builds up on the tiles and the glass. Most bar soaps have ingredients such as talc, paraffin, and fatty acids which interact with the minerals in tap water. This forms a film or scum that attaches to surfaces and builds up over time. Soap scum mixed with hard water can keep the hard water on the glass so it permanently damages the glass. It can hold onto mold and mildew, trapping it in the shower. The soap scum also contains dirt, dead skin, and bacteria, creating an unhealthy environment in the shower.
The solution: You can scrub your shower or tub a lot more often, OR to save yourself time and energy, use liquid body washes and soaps that do not contain the above ingredients. Most of your favorite bar soaps also come in liquid, which is well worth the switch. Once the scum has set in, it can be difficult to remove. A good degreaser, along with a magic eraser and scrub brush may be all you need. If the build up is really bad you might consider hiring a cleaning professional.
2. WINDOW CLEANER WITH AMMONIA
Mirrors and other glass surfaces can be permanently damaged by using window cleaners that contain ammonia. Ammonia is an abrasive compound. It is meant to clean really dirty surfaces and dry quickly, which is why it is included in window cleaners. Over time it can cause scratches and hazy patches on mirrors and glass.
An effective and safe way to clean mirrors: Pre-clean with a spray solution of water and blue Dawn, using a wetsponge. This cleans off the build up of dust, hair spray, toothpaste, etc. Wipe dry with a dry microfiber towel. Use a spray solution of water, vinegar, and blue dawn to shine up and get that no- streak look. Dry with a microfiber towel or a glass cleaning cloth.
3. MOP AND SHINE FLOOR CLEANERS
Combined floor cleaner and wax is generally just not a good idea! Meant to save time in a one step solution, it will eventually cost much more time and be more difficult to remove the build up it creates. When using this product to mop your floors, the dirt is waxed over and sealed on by the acrylic waxing compound. This creates a dirty, dull, filmy build up--the opposite of what you were hoping for. The easy part is choosing a different method to clean the floor. The very difficult part is getting the build up off. It requires an ammonia wax stripper to remove the sticky residue, as it tricky to dissolve.
The solution: Once the damage has been done, it is best to have a flooring professional clean and strip the floors. Once the build up is removed, use an eco-friendly floor cleaner with no harsh chemicals or abrasives. A good floor cleaner will thoroughly clean the floor and leave a beautiful, clean, natural shine on the surface of any kind of flooring. Use a mop that has changeable mop heads. Change the mop head when it appears dirty. This keeps the floor clean and gives that no streak shine.
I hope you find this helpful in keeping your home clean and protected. Please visit our website www.brightathomecleaning.com for more cleaning tips, or to book a consultation for our cleaning services.
Comments