How many of us really know that the things we use to clean other things also need cleaning? For example, we vacuum clean the sofa, wash clothes in the washing machine and clean the toilet with a brush. But how many times did you clean these things? Wondering how to clean a washing machine? So let me tell you what I do. Once in two months, that is, after using the washing machine approximately 20 times, I sit on the floor, open the small lid on the right corner of the fully automatic washing machine with a key, turn the plastic knob anti-clockwise to remove the dirt stuck in the hole. This not only results in dirty water, but sometimes I also find coins that I had forgotten to remove from my pants. Years ago, my service guy told me this secret when I complained about water leakage and he did not want to come to my house. After this, I put some detergent in the machine and run it for 30 minutes without clothes. There are many types of cleaning mistakes and some are more serious. In most cases, these mistakes do not leave things as clean as we would like. This affects the air quality in the home, or leaves a residue that can trap dust. For example, mopping the floor with laundry detergent. I came to know this when I read about ‘Roomba’, the sweeping machine I recently purchased for my home. Before the Roomba started working, I sprinkled detergent solution on the floor and noticed that it leaves a residue in which dirt gets stuck. Due to this dirt, the marble floor starts looking dull. I’m sure many of us spray some cleaning liquid on a table or showcase and use a melamine foam sponge to dry it. This is almost certainly false. First, the sponge should be wetted and the cleaning liquid should not be sprayed on the area to be cleaned, but on the sponge. I discovered this when the shine of the sunmica sheets in my show-case started losing its shine because my house-help would always spray cleaning liquid on the hard surface and then dry it with a sponge. Many people think that using more cleaning agents will make things cleaner. But the truth is the opposite. From sprays, foams to pastes and powders, applying too much of any cleaner has the opposite effect. The surface becomes dirtier than before. This is true for two reasons. 1. You will have to spend more time than necessary in removing the cleaning agent. 2. Even after so much washing and wiping, a layer may remain on the surface, on which dust and dirt will stick. Some videos on social media recommend mixing cleaning agents. But if you do not know their scientific reactions then you will neutralize both the agents. For example, mixing baking soda and vinegar will only leave you with salt water, which won’t clean most things. Although its loud bubbling makes it seem like it is deep-cleaning, it actually removes the beneficial properties of both the ingredients. Similarly, mixing vinegar and detergent is also not right. The acid in the vinegar can alter the pH value of the detergent, which will change its consistency and make it less effective. The bottom line is that with a little scientific knowledge, common but bad cleaning habits can be improved. This will keep your house cleaner and you will also avoid major losses.
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N. Raghuraman’s Column: Some cleaning mistakes are easy to correct
