We all love a clean house. That being said, sometimes, your cleaning habits can be doing more harm than good. Believe it or not, we are all guilty of some type of lousy cleaning habit. Before you break out your gloves and bring out the duster, here are some common cleaning mistakes that you are probably about to make:

Failing to Read the Directions

So you have tried an expert-recommended product, but it did not work the way you thought it would. While it is possible that the product is not as great as they said, it is more likely that you just did not use it properly. Many people often fail to read the cleaning directions on products before using it, and manufacturers do their best to create quality products that will actually produce results. Before giving up on the product, you should carefully read the label for directions before using it.

Harsh Cleaning Products

Trying to get a stain out of your carpet? Or maybe you are trying to bring some life back into your furniture? Whichever the case, the answer is not always the harshest or strongest cleaning product. In fact, most jobs only require a gentle pH cleanser to adequately clean. Only break out the big guns when the gentler products do not work.

Using too much Product

Have you ever heard of the saying: too much of a good thing is never good? Only use the recommended amount of a cleaning product or else you may spend more time cleaning up excess product than actually cleaning the surface. In addition, you do not want to throw away your hard-earned money by wasting the product; therefore, less is always more.

Water on Your Hardwood Floors

Of course, your hardwood floors need to be mopped, but saturating your hardwood floors with water can ruin the finish. Make sure that you are always cautious when mixing water and wood.

Bleach as a Cleaning Product

Bleach should not be confused with a cleaning product. Bleach should be used for disinfecting and whitening; therefore, when it comes to cleaning up dirt and soil, you will have to use a real cleaning product. Save the bleach for your white laundry.

Multi-Tasking

Trying to do two things at once may make you feel like your getting things done faster, but you may be only prolonging the process. Focus on cleaning one area at a time to be effective.

Do you make any of these common mistakes? If so, you are not alone! The first course of action is to be aware then make a change.