While you may break out the vacuum or duster on a regular basis, any cleaning professional or commercial cleaning company will tell you that there’s a major difference between cleaning your home and cleaning it correctly. Even the most avowed neatniks may find themselves making critical errors when it comes to getting their home spotless—ones that can cost time and money in the long run.
So, what mistakes are you making when you clean your house ? Read on to discover which household chores you’re doing wrong. We’ll also share with you some useful tips on how to use your cleaning vacuum, other cleaning tools and supplies and how to save time, money and efforts while doing so! Happy cleaning!

In case you’re not using a dishwasher, tackling those dishes without giving them a pre-soak only increases the likelihood that you’ll have to give them another pass with that dish brush later.
“If you don’t soak your dishes and separate [greasy dishes] from other dishes, you are making it way harder for yourself,” says Arthur Ruth, vice president of operations at Memphis Maids. “If you have hard-to-remove solids, you should leave it to soak for a while to remove it more easily later saving you time and resources.”

On the other hand, if you’re using a dishwasher, a little hot water goes a long way when it comes to getting those dishes spotless. A 2006 study published in the Saint Martin’s University Biology Journal reveals that E.coli grew quickly in 98.6-degree Fahrenheit environments, but had significantly less growth at 113 degrees, meaning that, whenever possible, it’s best to hit the hot cycle on your dishwasher to keep dangerous bacteria at bay.