Cleaning Tips That Actually Ruin Our Stuff

While most of these hacks genuinely seem to work, some of them end up doing more harm than good. We did the research, and found out which hacks don’t work. Keep scrolling to see some of biggest cleaning do’s that are actually don’ts.

Don’t Use Toothpaste to Clean Your Silver Jewelry

You may think that buffing up and cleaning your silver jewelry with toothpaste makes sense. At one point many of us have grabbed an old toothbrush to spiff up our favorite jewels. But sadly this hack can be quite damaging to silver.

Even though toothpaste is gentle enough for teeth, it can be abrasive on silver surfaces. So instead, try soaking your jewelry in a solution of vinegar and warm water to get rid of stubborn stains and dullness.

Don’t Use A Lemon Wedge to Freshen Up Dishes In You Dishwasher

Not too long ago there was a hack shared on Pinterest that recommended putting a lemon wedge into your dishwasher with a load of dishes. While this may sound useful, it’s really not.

Dishwashers run at extremely hot temperatures r and all that will happen to the lemon wedge is that it will boil and add unwanted oils into your wash cycle. So instead give this hack a miss and stick factory-recommended detergents.

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Don’t Use Extra Detergent To Try And Get Dirty Clothes Cleaner

We have all been tempted to throw in extra detergent when washing a load of, especially filthy clothing. However, this is never a good idea.

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Not only does this make it more difficult you’re your machine to rinse your clothing, but the added soapy residue can end up damaging your washing machine. Instead, try longer wash cycles for tough stains and make sure you buy yourself some quality detergent.

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Don’t Mix Vinegar And Baking Soda To Make A Cleaning Solution

While on their own baking soda and vinegar can be helpful in the kitchen, mixing them together can have an eruptive effect. Its basic chemistry and unless you are making a volcano for your school science fair, its best to keep these two items well aware from one another.

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Also as we have already mentioned neither ingredient is very good at sanitizing surfaces. So instead try conventional cleaning solutions to get the job done.

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Don’t Try to Whiten Your Whites With Aspirin

One Pinterest hack recommends using a few pills of aspirin in your wash to keep your white clothing from yellowing. But be warned people, while aspirin may be great at relieving a headache, it won’t do much for your whites.

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Instead, it may damage your washing machine and do little else. This hack is pretty much a waste and instead, you should try drying your white clothing outside in the shade and avoid drying it in direct sunlight.

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Don’t Clean Your Cabinets Too Regularly

Although many of us are motivated to give our kitchens a good clean, it’s not a good idea to clean your cabinets too often. This is because detergents and water can actually damage the wood finish and the shelving of your cabinets.

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In the long run, this can warp the wood and even lead to chipping that will be expensive to repair. Instead, stick to quick wipes and avoid regularly washing cupboard doors and interior shelving.

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Don’t Wash Your Windows with Old Newspaper

While this hack may have been popular in the good old days, today there are much better alternatives. When wet, the newspaper tends to become flimsy and break apart. It also leaves behind fine fibers that dust and grime can cling to.

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Rather, avoid the newspaper altogether and instead use some quality window cleaner and a clean cloth. Often some paper towels or modern microfiber cloth can work wonders.

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Don’t Clean Your Coffee Maker with Bleach

According to one Pinterest hack, using bleach to clean your coffee maker is great for removing stains and getting rid of smells. While that is true, your coffee maker may not be safe to use afterward.

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Bleach can be harmful so instead try something a little safer. Run a batch of vinegar and water through your machine instead. Not only will this give it a good clean, but the vinegar is great at getting rid of limescale.

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Don’t Use Vinegar To Disinfect Your Clothing

You may at first think that vinegar is a great disinfectant, but it’s actually not. As a light acid, vinegar is great for removing limescale from your kettle or washing machine. But it can damage some fabrics.

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When you think about it, most modern laundry detergents actually partially disinfect and clean your laundry already so adding vinegar is just going to harm some fabrics and leave your clothing smelling a bit gross.

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Don’t Soak Plastic Containers in Lemon Juice to Remove Stains

While lemon juice has many different uses in the home, cleaning stained plastic containers is not one of them. According to Pinterest, soaking a stained container in lemon juice for 24 hours should remove all stains. Sadly, this will have minimal effect and will only weaken the plastic.

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The best thing to do is either scrub with a paste made from baking soda and water or try soaking it for 24 hours in a weak bleach and water solution. If using bleach though make sure to rinse your plastic and clean it with regular dishwashing liquid thoroughly before reusing it.

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Don’t Heat Sponges in the Microwave to Disinfect Them

Many of us know that heat is a great way to disinfect surfaces and kill bacteria. In our kitchens, sponges are often one of the biggest breeding grounds for germs. But using the microwave to heat up and disinfect kitchen sponges is just asking for trouble.

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Because these sponges are often made of synthetic, flammable materials, heating them in the microwave could destroy them. They could catch fire or even be left with hard spots. So instead, simply make sure to change your kitchen sponges regularly and clean them with bleach whenever possible.

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Don’t Place Dryer Sheets in Air Vents to Make Your Home Smell Great

Many users of Pinterest have enthusiastically endorsed this hack, but while it sounds great, its not such a good idea. Besides, any benefit it does provide doesn’t last very long. Even more dangerously, dryer sheets can block your vents and prevent proper airflow. If you have your heating on, these sheets could even be a fire hazard!

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These sheets also attract unwanted dust and microbes that could just end up making you sick. Instead, keep your space smelling great with a little air freshener or by cleaning surfaces to prevent yukky odors. Regularly airing out your home can also be a great help.

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Don’t Put Coffee Grounds In Your Garbage Disposal To Get Rid Of Bad Odors

After a while, you may notice a slight odor emanating from your garbage disposal. But contrary to Pinterest, putting coffee grounds down there isn’t going to solve the problem

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Over time the coffee ground themselves with start to stink up the place as bacteria breeds. It is also a sure-fire way to block your drain as coffee grounds tend to build up and get stuck. Instead, try some use and vinegar to quickly deodorize stinky disposal.

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Don’t Line Your Fridge with Newspaper to Absorb Odors

There are plenty of hacks that recommend using newspapers in your fridge to reduce any stinky smells. While on the surface this may seem like a good idea, it can actually be dangerous to your health. First off, newspapers cannot actually absorb odors. It can however absorb liquids and moisture and this makes it the perfect breeding ground for mold and germs.

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Also, the newspaper isn’t clean, to begin with. The last thing you want to do is place it next to your food. Lastly, the newspaper can stain your fridge so instead, try cleaning your fridge regularly to keep things clean and fresh.

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Don’t Soak Your Clothing In Saltwater To Prevent Fabric From Bleeding

In this day and age, the dyes we use on our fabrics are expertly developed. So, soaking your new clothing in saltwater is not really necessary anymore. While yes, some new clothing like jeans can bleed on the first wash, this is actually normal.

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It doesn’t mean that these new clothes are going to lose their bright colors. It is simply what happens on the first wash. Instead of going to the trouble of soaking your clothes in saltwater, simply wash new clothes by themselves to prevent any accidents. After the first wash, your new jeans should be good to go!

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Don’t Try and Remove Ink Stains with Hairspray

This hack originally started as an old wives tale in the 1950s. While back then hairspray contained mostly alcohol and other ozone harming chemicals, today the formula has changed. As a result, it no longer works in removing stubborn ink stains from your surfaces.

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Rather, try using rubbing alcohol to remove ink stains on surfaces. For ink stains on clothing immediately soak the garment in warm water use a stain remover pen before putting it in the wash.

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Don’t Try to Use Corn Starch To Remove Ironing Burn Marks

At one point in time, we have all accidentally burnt or lightly scorched an item of clothing with an iron. But don’t be fooled by the Pinterest hack that says that cornstarch can remove your ironing burn marks.

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This hack is complete nonsense and instead try immediately washing your burnt item to remove as much staining as you can. If this doesn’t work there isn’t much else that can be done, unfortunately.

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Don’t Try To Rub Out Carpet Stains

If you have kids and a carpet in your home, you will know that getting out a stain can be a nightmare. While some hacks on Pinterest may recommend feverishly rubbing out dark stains with a damp cloth, this is the last thing you should do.

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Instead, try blotting the stain first. Then, using a cloth and a circular motion, gently rub the stain with a solution of soap and cold water. This should prevent the stain from spreading and get it out easily.

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Don’t Use Dryer Sheets To Clean Burnt Pots And Pans

Dryer sheets are wonderful, but they are not magic. No matter how many times you see it on Pinterest, using dryer sheets to clean burnt food out of pans will never work

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In fact, the chemicals in the dryer sheet are not safe to ingest, so using them in cooking utensils is a bad idea. So why not go old school and simply soak your pan in warm water with some baking soda to loosen baked-on food.

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Don’t Try To Shine Your Shoes With A Banana Peel

While this may sound like something out of a comic strip, shinning your shoes with a banana peel is a common cleaning hack on Pinterest.

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Sadly at the end instead of getting your shoes shiny, you will be stuck with bits of banana peel all over your fine leather. Rather stick to basics and use good old shoe polish to keep your favorite shoes looking good as new.

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Don’t Use Soda To Clean Your Toilet

No matter how many times you see it online, soda isn’t an effective way to clean your toilet bowl. Think about it, if the soda was good at cleaning toilets, do you really think it would be safe to drink?

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While soda may give the appearance of a cleaner toilet bowl, all those germs and bacteria are still there, except now they have plenty of sugar to live off of. Instead, try giving this awful hack a miss.

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Don’t Coat Your Stovetop With Car Wax To Prevent Stains

It’s easy for annoying stains to form on your stovetop, and with the added heat these stubborn stains can be burnt on. This all makes cleanup a constant struggle.

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While some Pinterest hacks recommend coating your stove with car wax to prevent stain build-up, this is a terrible idea. Car wax contains flammable materials and waxes and putting that on a heat source is just asking for trouble.

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Don’t Use Mouthwash To Freshen Up Your Washing Machine

If you are looking for fresh breath then mouth wash is the way to go, but rinsing your washing machine with it is just silly. That’s because while mouth wash is great against the bacteria in your mouth, it does very little to clean your washing machine.

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Also, most mouthwash contains enzymes and alcohol that can damage the rubber seals in your machine. Instead, try vinegar to get rid of odors and limescale.

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Don’t Use Coffee Filters to Clean Your Devices

Don’t be fooled people, while it is true that coffee filters don’t scratch delicate computer and tv screens, that doesn’t mean you should use them to remove dust. Common microfiber cloths work just as well, if not better to clean your device screens.

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Unlike coffee filters, these microfiber cloths can be used repeatedly and washed when dirty. Plus, coffee filters can be pretty pricey, so its best to save them for your morning coffee.