Seemingly Harmless Ways You May Be Ruining Your Home

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If you choose to vacuum away dirt, you will get rid of it easily from your floor. Which method do you think works best? A better question is, which method is ideal for someone too lazy to do any cleaning? The answer, of course, is the BISSELL CleanView Vacuum Cleaner.

The best thing to do is to wait a few minutes and allow your bed to air dry before you start making it. Your bed bugs will thank you. You can also invest in some Moisture Wicking Bed Sheets to help you with this issue.

You may be saving yourself time, money, energy, and the eww-factor of having to clean inside your toilet tank. But bleach tablets can actually cause the rubber parts and plastic flushing system of your tank to wear down. It may be clean for now, but for how long, really?

If you find the process of removing coffee stains from your teeth difficult enough, it’s best to throw tea and coffee into a Compost Bin. That way, you’ll be helping the environment instead of destroying your toilet.

Throw pasta water into your garden instead. Plants need liquid carbs, but your sink definitely does not. Get this gunk away from your kitchen, and make sure to never pour it into your sink. Plus, you’ll give your plants some fertilizer and health bacteria that will help them grow!

When vinegar is used to clean granite countertops, the end result is that your gorgeous granite will turn into an eyesore. Vinegar has the ability to wear down the countertop’s sealant. Eventually, the sheen decreases, and so does your kitchen’s beauty. Try using a Granite Countertop Sealer to help protect your precious kitchen.

Vinegar can harm the sensitive rubber and plastic found inside your dishwasher because of its high acid content. If you want to keep using your dishwasher and want to avoid doing manual labor, please use actual Dishwasher Cleaner.

When you use vinegar to clean tiles, its acidity will cause the grout to wear over time. Eventually, you can expect to see your grout turn yellow and crumbly. Who wants to be in a bathroom that has crumbly grout and yellow stains? Use Grout Cleaner instead.

Numerous fires have started because a grill was placed too close to someone’s house. If you want to have a fun barbecue with your family, being threatened with a potential fire generally isn’t on your to-do list. So, remember this tip and place your grill at a safe distance from anything flammable. 

When you look closely, plastic cutting boards are full of scratches. These scratches eventually become a rich breeding ground for all types of food-borne bacteria. It’s best to keep these away from your kitchen and use a Bamboo Cutting Board or other non-plastic solution instead.

What happens if you shampoo your rugs? Expect to live with and breathe in the mold spores that have made your rug their home sweet home. Shampooed rugs may look clean, but they are potential sources of sickness. 

Continued door slamming eventually misaligns a door and produces an ugly gap between the trim and the jam. It is also an emotionally unhelpful way of expressing yourself, so it won’t hurt to cut it out.

These small and seemingly harmless bits of fluff have been deemed hazardous by experts. Always remove lint each time you use the dryer, or even invest in Lint Traps. It may look like a small step, but it’s a giant leap for keeping your home lint-free, and more importantly, fire-free.

Gutters keep rainwater away from your roof. Do you know what happens when water gets stuck on your roof? It stays there until grandpa removes the blockage because you are too lazy to do it yourself. Clean your gutters and keep your grandpa safe and happy. Or use a Gutter Guard to help with the work.

The best way to clean cutting boards is by using Hydrogen Peroxide, not dishwashing soap. Make sure you have some handy near the sink. Doing so will keep your family healthy by removing the threat of food-borne diseases that may otherwise infiltrate your digestive system.

Stop doing what all Americans have been doing since the advent of time. Keep shoes outside of the house on a Shoe Rack and save yourself from allergy symptoms and illnesses caused by wayward bacteria that hitch a ride on the bottom of your shoes.

Bleach is simply too potent and may strip hardwood floors’ polyurethane coating. Keep your hardwood safe from the perils of bleach. Warm water and a few drops of dish soap are enough to keep it clean.

These wipes are made of non-woven fabric. When you flush them down the toilet, they could very well end up getting stuck in your pipes. If you want to know how it feels to flush money down the drain, then feel free to continue flushing these wipes down your toilet.

Toilet bowl cleaners are highly acidic and can cause terrible damage to the grout in your bathroom. There is a reason the label says “toilet cleaner”  – it is only made for toilet bowls. Always look for gentle cleaners you can use to rid your bathroom of dirt and grime.

If you continually walk wet, that water will eventually make your wooden floor buckle from all that moisture. Your floors will warp and lose their shape. Would you rather pay to change your warped floors or just towel off properly? You can even invest in a Non-Slip Bathmat to help you dry off after stepping out of the shower.

The best thing to do is to close your curtains when the sun gets too hot. If you are going out, make sure you close the blinds to prevent the sun’s rays from entering your room. Buying some quality Blackout Curtains could help too. Your furniture will thank you by staying beautiful for longer.

Never remove downspouts. Their purpose in the world is to keep rainwater away from the foundation of your house. When you let these devices do their job, you make your house stronger and more resilient.

Cleaning your filter also helps your dishwasher last longer. All you need is warm soapy water to keep it clean. It’s the lightest manual labor you can ever do. Then of course, Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner can help you do the job too.

To avoid this, always make sure you start doing laundry only if you can readily switch them to the dryer once washing is complete. Also, dryers need to be free from mold. Try to rinse clothes in white vinegar or bleach to ensure they’re bacteria-free. 

If you see any branches that can potentially break due to strong winds, trim them with an Extendable Tree Trimming Saw as soon as possible before a storm arrives. You’ll be helping your house (and your neighbors) stay safe. Plus, it keeps the people in your home very well protected.

Though a dehumidifier may be costly, it is a minor investment compared to the money you will spend to maintain such expensive floors. You will thank yourself in the future. Plus, you could always opt for a Small Dehumidifier to get the job done.

A stud finder takes all the guesswork out and ensures you find the correct place. It does the work so you don’t have to, and it does it with swift and perfect precision.

You’ll save your floors from unwanted scratches anytime you move a heavy item, and you’ll keep your gorgeous hardwood floor smooth and free from scrapes. Keeping your home in good shape really doesn’t take a lot of money. Instead, it’s all in the details. 

If such a situation continues, it can be the cause of fireplace pollution that eventually leads to your family’s poor health. Thus, it’s best to look into a Chimney Cleaning Firelog and other helpful products that break down creosote.

Mulch is a magnet for termites that can eventually infest your home and destroy its foundation. If you want the best of both worlds, you can keep your flower bed as long as you also keep mulch as far from your house as possible.

The reason why you are not supposed to directly spray these onto counters or floors is because of the thin, ugly film they leave behind every time they are used. Using a rag or cloth will prevent this from happening and help you get a clean surface every time.

Exhaust fans also remove any possibility of your bathroom mirror fogging up. Stagnant air gets to move and circulate in the presence of an exhaust fan. Therefore, mold and bacteria are not able to survive. With so many benefits, they are an important feature in any bathroom.

While when cooking, the fats, oil, and grease may appear to be a liquid when they’re heated, once they are poured down the sink they typically solidify and can lead to dangerous sewage system clogs. The best thing to do is place any excess oil you have in a container. Collect grease from any of the pots and pans you use, and once it has solidified, dispose of it as you would with other solid waste.

Hardwood will also wear down through time if it is continually washed with excess water. Use only very minimal water to clean such sensitive floors, or better yet, use actual Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Your house will thank you for it. After all, a clean house is the foundation of a happy home.

The toilet brush will remain wet when it is placed in a damp place. Instead, the brush must be dipped in a household cleaner and then set out to dry. Some Silicone Toilet Brush Cleaners do exist on the market that are properly ventilated or include a soap dispenser for proper cleaning.

The bathroom is a moisture-rich environment. Leaving towels in a room filled with moisture can cause bacteria to breed. You surely don’t want to put a piece of bacteria-ridden cloth on your face after bathing. Instead, keep towels in a dry place where they can air out between uses.

You can expect to see creepy crawlies, bugs, worms, and other critters around your abode too. Plus, vines retain moisture, and if they’re clinging to your home, that means you have a layer of dampness all around you. Unless you want your house to become a makeshift rainforest, trim those vines off!

When you store all your unwanted stuff under your porch, air circulation can be blocked. Eventually, you can expect to see the boards warping. The question to ask yourself now is, have you ever heard of a garage sale? But if you really can’t part ways with your outdoor items, try storing them in a shed or Outdoor Storage Bin.

When you place numerous clothing pieces on hangers, the closet rod, as well as the brackets in your closet, will become strained. Eventually, the brackets could be pulled from the wall, thus destroying your drywall. Try using some Hanging Closet Organizers instead.

When you use a dusting pad, it leaves a thin residue on the floor that actually attracts more dust. You then need to clean the dust off again with a Swiffer only for your floor to attract more dust. The never-ending cycle only leads you to buy more Swiffer products and never get your home fully cleaned.

Simply cut a small hole near the heel of the sock then slide the Swiffer mop’s pole through the standard opening then through your created incision. Stretch out the sock until it covers the entire mop head. Once you finish mopping, you can simply take off the sock and wash it, thus creating a more environmentally friendly cleaning option rather than throwing out countless cleaning pads.

For instance, using more than enough detergent powder can leave behind a residue on your clothes because it won’t be able to wash out as expected. Better save your cleaning items and money and use cleaning products as directed.

By using unsanitary cleaning supplies, you’re actually making matters worse by creating a playground for dirt and germs, hence putting your family’s health at risk. Remember to always clean your cleaning tools!

Regardless of your preferred cleaning product, make sure you’re utilizing more than one. If you are loyal to disposable wipes because of its easy use, note that they don’t have enough disinfectant to clean an entire room. Use multiple wipes to create the fresh space you’re looking for.

But hiding leftovers when you and your family members don’t actually end up eating them is not a good idea. Leftovers kept in the fridge for an extended period of time allow mold and bacteria to grow and multiply. Do yourself a favor and throw out that plastic container of lasagna.

That being said, it is important to always remember that dusting is the first step in your cleaning session. Once done using a duster, you can wipe away anything that’s left over with your disinfectant wipe and other cleaning products.

Again, feather dusters expand the dust and dirt around instead of getting rid of it. There are plenty of cleaning tools out there that are more liable for making your house spotless, such as a Microfiber Hand Duster. So, might as well leave that feather duster in the dust.

If you’re letting small leaks and shingle damage go unnoticed, you are ruining your home. Protect yourself from future damage by looking on your ceiling for water stains and mold spores as these can be bigger signs of a major roofing issue. You’ll also want to check your roof for corrosion since rusty nails on your roofing can leave streaks on the exterior of your house or even trickle into your home when it rains.

Why? Because it causes deterioration to the finish when applied unreasonably.  Also note that wax-based polish can result in an oily buildup that catches more dirt and dust in the long run.

A useful rule of thumb is that you should clean your windows with a Window Cleaning Squeegee one to two times each year. Yep, you read it right. Cleaning your windows more than that can actually cause accumulation of dirt and streaking.

If you want to tackle minor dirt issues in your upholstered furniture, the safest thing that you can do is use a vacuum apparatus like a brush connection to clean between and underneath any paddings.

Furthermore, the moisture can put your carpet at risk for mold and mildew growth. Don’t hesitate when that stain hits! Use a tough Carpet Stain Eliminator right away.

What you do with this information is up to you. Of course, you can let your dog live their life and do their thing outside, wherever they please. However, if you recently paid a lot to redo your lawn or are planning to do some extensive landscaping soon, you may want to think about creating designated zones for your dog to do their business that aren’t in the center of your yard.

When you cut the grass too short you limit the lawn’s ability to store photosynthetic energy which then weakens your lawn and may even kill it.

On the surface, your broom may even appear to look fine, but even then you should regularly clean it to ensure it isn’t making matters worse. To clean, try vacuum cleaning the bristles to suck up built up dirt, rinse the broom with hot water, then allow it to soak in bleach, water, and detergent for 20 minutes. Now rinse and dry it, and it will be as good as new.

Have a dependable electrician come check out the issues and become aware of which category yours fall into. For flickering lights check to see if the lightbulb is tight enough. If it is, flickering lights can signal a wiring problem that could pose a danger to your home.

On the other end of that, if you’re thinking of using wax-based products, this can leave your surfaces sticky, dull, and ultimately in need of a professional clean.

The mixture of the two can create toxic peracetic acid which can change the texture and color of your soft surfaces or leave chemical burns. However, the real threat is the acid that can cause skin irritants and respiratory issues.

As for carpeted bathrooms, this trend is a breeding ground for bacteria. Carpets absorb water and other bacteria that live within bathrooms. Once the rug gets damp, it will only become more unhygienic over time. The carpet will also be more difficult to properly clean, and your bathroom will become a bacteria playground.

For example, this sweet little boy decided to use an onion as his new favorite toy. While this seems cute at the time, leaving an onion out or left on wooden floors or furniture can cause staining. Furthermore if it gets left out and forgotten about, it will leave a rather strong, contaminating smell that will be difficult to get rid of.

Lemon has high amounts of citric acid and eats away at the surface of the countertops. Instead, opt for a mixture of Dish Soap and warm water to keep them in good shape and clean.

By obstructing the air flow, you are creating potential for the condenser to overheat and possibly be irreversibly damaged and in need of replacement.

To tell which kind of extension cord you have and whether or not it is safe for the great outdoors check to see if there is the letter W printed on the cord jacket. The W is indicative of it being safe for outside use as an Outdoor Extension Cord.

It is also recommended to open windows when you cook and allow for cross-ventilation which will reduce build-up moisture, smoke, and all-around indoor air quality.

The reason for this is due to the plumbing that goes through the unheated parts of your home or is exposed to outdoors is liable to freeze within the pipes and possibly burst. Protect your exposed pipes with Pipe Insulation.

Over time, this can lead to cracks in the foundation of your home which could create the potential for water to seep inside. To avoid this, ensure that you water the grass and dirt around your home frequently enough to keep it moist but not enough for it to pool. Consider adding a Sprinkler System to your lawn to help with the maintenance.

Each year you don’t insulate, you put your home at risk for burst pipes due to the plumbing freezing and increased electric bills.

If the city discovers you’ve begun construction without the proper permits you could be heavily fined, and your project may be torn down completely. Not to mention, a bad DIY job could lead to structural damage!

This one mistake can be detrimental to an entire countertop. And costly to repair! So, in the future invest in Silicone Trivet Mats to save your counters.

You’ll want to protect those surfaces as they are hard to fix. What you do or don’t do now will certainly help save you time, money, and repairs in the future.

The odor will stick to the carpets and curtains and turn your white ceilings a sickly yellow. That is nothing to mention what it does to your insides, but that is a different story entirely. 

Overloading these appliances can damage the drums and decrease the efficiency of them. 

Not to mention that the cost of these felt sliders are much cheaper than the cost of repairing the marks left on the ground from skipping these home hacks. 

However, putting wet (or damp) dishes away before they are totally dry can have costly side effects. The excess moisture in your cabinets can cause the wood to rot and the cabinets to develop mold or water stains. Thus, it’s best in the long run to grab a Cotton Dish Cloth and dry as you go.

Whether you have carpet or hardwood floors, a pet can add urine, mud, and many other kinds of stains, along with scratching. It is something to consider before you devote yourself to the idea of having a furry friend. 

If a waterbed happens to get a leak (which it’s implied in the name, isn’t it?), it can cause real damage to your unit, as well as the one below you if you happen to live in an apartment. 

If the heater is too close to a flammable object and is left unattended or is accidentally knocked over by a pet or child, there is potential for a fire. 

If you cannot figure out what the problem is yourself, call in a professional to take a look at it to diagnose the issue. 

Why? Because baking soda can wear down the sealant and absolutely destroy your beautiful marble. User beware. 

Do not use them on your countertops or on stainless steel, as they are far too abrasive and will create further damage.

Not only can it damage the drywall and pull the paint, it can also add undesirable discoloration. 

The first is that energy costs can go up if these are not maintained. Also, dirty HVAC filters can lead to potentially damaging the heating and cooling systems in your home. Be sure to check out the size you need, then swap out the your dirty one with the proper HVAC Filter for your home.

While it may not be harmful to your health, it is certainly not good for your plumbing. To avoid future problems, test your water with a Water Hardness Test Kit to see whether it contains problematic concentrations of calcium and/or magnesium. If this is the case, you can install a water softener to correct the issue.

Inspect your windows, doors, tubs, and sinks, or anywhere else caulk may have been applied. If you see that the sealant has dried up and cracked, you need to remove and replace it with some Silicone Sealant Caulk.

Consult your tile manufacturer for the correct sealant for your tile to ensure your tile will go the distance and sustain. 

To avoid an accidental rainbow hued wall, avoid this mistake and use colorless cleaning products. 

Walking atop dirt and debris can cause scratches to form. Just like hardwood floors, tile floors need to be swept regularly to slow the process of wear and tear. A simple Broom and Dustpan is sure to do the trick.

When these kitchen tools are run via the dishwasher, they will not be completely cleaned, and the extra food can accumulate on your tools or become rotten. We’re sure nobody wants this dirty result, so might as well grab a Dish Drainer Rack and wash come dishes by hand.

It is the same scenario for your bathroom rug. If you find it’s gotten wet after a shower, make sure that you hang it up so it can dry out and spare your floor from an unfortunate fate.

When this happens, the inner lining of your water heater may begin to crack and require replacement. Drain the heater to avoid costly damage.

However, kids hiding in tight spaces can lead to trouble such as if she accidentally steps on or disconnects any pipes back there. You may want to consider child-proofing areas around bathrooms and kitchens that allow access to visible pipes or electric wiring that could turn dangerous for the child and costly for your home.