The internet can be a fantastic place for cleaning tips that can make doing certain chores quicker and more effective.
It is also home to some of the more ridiculous cleaning tips the Electrodry team has come across!
We’ve got the worst of the worst for you, plus some handy advice on how to do it right.
Quick Summary – Top 5 Cleaning Crimes
- Mixing chemicals: don’t - some combos release toxic gas
- Mismatching cleaners: toilet bleach ruins grout + hides mould
- Wrong stain fix: not all stains need the same treatment
- Scrubbing carpets: rubbing spreads stains deeper into fibres
- Using glass cleaner on tech: damages coatings, risks screen fog/cracks
Need smarter cleaning? Call 13 27 13 or book Electrodry’s services online.
1. Combining Chemicals
Mixing cleaning products does not equal better effectiveness. Worse still, combining some products could create toxic gases that may cause health problems.
As a rule, you should never mix bleach with anything other than water but this is a great general guide for other products to steer clear of mixing.
You should always check the warning labels of whichever product you’re using.
2. Using The Wrong Grout Cleaners
A Tik Tok video trended last year of a woman using toilet cleaner on her grout lines with great results. Toilet cleaner is little more than bleach so while it may work well on your bowl, it will erode your tile grout.
Bleach is an ineffective cleaner when it comes to removing mould from your grout lines. Bleach does little more than ‘bleach’ the colour of your grout lines. So, while it may look like it is working, the mould is going to return with a vengeance.
If your grout lines have seen better days, your best bet is to call in a professional. You can try to tackle the problem yourself, using this recommended method that utilises baking soda, water, an old toothbrush and a little elbow grease.
3. Using the Wrong Stain Treatment
One of the biggest mistakes people make is using the wrong type of cleaner on a stain. Stains can be categorised into four types:
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Fat/sugar stains, such as milk and beer
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Oily stains, such as grease and makeup
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Tannin stains, such as red wine, tea and coffee
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Ink and texta stains
Different stains require different treatments, and using the wrong one can permanently set the mark. For a professional-grade solution at home, many experts rely on a versatile cleaner like Electro 3 Spot & Stain Remover. This 500ml spray is designed to tackle a wide range of household spills on both carpet and fabric upholstery—from muddy footprints to red wine.
To use it effectively, always lift excess residue first, spray from the outside of the stain inward, and blot with a clean cloth. For more specialized DIY mixtures, you might use neutral dishwashing detergent, rubbing alcohol (like Isocol), and absorbent towels. For more details on how to tackle a variety of stains, check out our stain removal guide here.
4. Carpet Stain Mistakes
Don’t rub cleaning product into the carpet fibres to get the stain out, as tempting as it may be. This can actually make the problem worse, as you are rubbing the stain further into carpet fibres. This can cause permanent damage to the pile and spread the stain over a larger area. Instead, always blot the area with a clean, dry towel to lift the liquid out of the fibres.
5. Window Cleaner on Your Devices
We use our technological devices a lot, so it makes sense you’d want to keep them clean. Using window cleaner to scrub your computer, tablet, or smartphone screen, however, is most definitely not a good idea.
Window cleaners can fog up your screen, wear down the anti-glare coating, and may even crack your screen.
Just use plain water (or a 1:1 mix of water and vinegar for stubborn grime) and a clean microfibre cloth. Spray the mixture onto the cloth before gently wiping, not directly onto the screen.
