We are almost done with the first month of 2017—how are those resolutions going? While numerous people will tell you how to stick to your New Year’s Eve goals, we are actually going to ask you to break a few. Here are 4 cleaning resolutions you do not have to keep in this year—saving you time and money.
Use Furniture Polish Every Time You Clean
Yes, we love the shine polish gives to our wooden furniture and fixtures; however, too much polish can actually dull and wear down your wood (and make it feel sticky!). Save the polish for once a week or even once every other week, using a microfiber cloth for keeping the dust away in between deeper cleanings.
Always Hand Wash Your Silver
While there are certain dishes, glasses and cutlery that should never be put in the dishwasher, sterling silver is not on the list. It is suggested you modify your washing procedures a bit such as keeping sterling silver separate from flatware and using a smaller amount of detergent (click here for more tips), but you should not be afraid of putting your sliver in the dishwasher. In fact, using sliver more often can actually make it brighter.
Use More Soap for Better Cleaning
In the case of soap, less is always more. This may be counterintuitive to your thinking, but soap actually attracts dirt. “This is great if all the dirt is rinsed away from the surface we were trying to clean,” writes about.com’s Sarah Aguirre. “But if all the soap isn’t gone, then the surface will continue to attract more dirt.” This philosophy also holds true for using more detergent in your dishwasher to washing machine.
Vacuum First
It is logical to want to get the biggest task done first; however, when it comes to cleaning a room you should always clean top to bottom. When you wipe down furniture and fixtures, dust particles and other debris will fall to the floor, making it necessary for you to vacuum a second time in order to keep your carpets clean. Avoid the second vacuuming by just waiting until you are done cleaning the entire room.
Talk to us: What is one cleaning resolution you are not going to be keeping this year?
image courtesy of flickr cc/mt 23