Cleaning Tools You Are Throwing Away Too Soon

There are so many different schools of thought when it comes to cleaning. One thing that we all can agree on is that we don't want to waste our money, our product, or our planet. So, are there things that we are throwing away too early?

I have over a dozen years of cleaning experience and seven of those years were for my own company. During my time as a housekeeper, I noticed a few things that may be getting pitched a little too early. Here is a list of my top three.

1. The Cordless Dyson

I am picking on Dyson today because they are by far the most expensive. Some of their cordless models come in at $900.00 brand new, but they have a strange flaw that may get them thrown away very, very early in their lives. They act like the battery is losing capacity when they simply need to be cleaned.

This is not a problem that is specific to Dyson. All cordless vacuums that have a shut-off feature when they sense that the vacuum is clogged will fall under this umbrella. So what exactly happens?

Vacuums have multiple filters and sometimes they need to be taken apart to be fully cleaned. This can sometimes be a tricky process, and sometimes the filters are somewhat hidden. In the case of these smaller, battery-powered vacuums, everything has to be integrated and compact so that they can fit comfortably in your hand. Compact and integrated means dirt trapped in weird places.

Once there is enough dust and debris lodged in the many nooks and crannies, the vacuum senses that it needs more power to operate. This can tell the vacuum that it is clogged, but it doesn't seem to be clogged and it seems to be working properly. Dysons specifically start to turn on and off before shutting down completely when this happens.

This is typically mistaken for a lack of charge and then the entire vacuum may be replaced. It is a shame when this happens. Vacuums like this are very effective and the fact that they can even sense this means that they are also very precise.

It can be daunting to take anything apart, so I included a video of myself cleaning a Dyson model. If you have a different make or model that seems to be losing its battery capacity, I would strongly consider researching how to clean them or have a professional clean it for you. If done correctly, this should elongate the life of your vacuum!

Here is a link to my TikTok video on how to clean a Dyson Cordless!

2. Swiffer Dusters

Some people might disagree with me on this one, and that's okay, but I think some people are throwing Swiffer Duster refills and their knock-off counterparts away too early. Granted, a housekeeper like me would be able to get more out of one of these dusters than the normal homeowner. I use these until they are falling apart, but some of these tips will still apply to the average cleaner.

Clean, Dirty, Destroyed. The life cycle of a duster. Of course, all dusters start clean out of the box. This is where they are the most useful and most precise. This is where I may say to go wild and dust away but that might not be wise. If you start with the really dusty spots, you may be stunting the lifespan of your fluffy friend. I would suggest starting with the more precise stuff, like your glass items or dark wood. Then I would tackle your ceiling fans and your laundry room.

Now it is dirty, so it is trash, right? Well not to me. Now you have a few options for this dirty duster. You could use it in tandem with a new clean duster to tackle the dirty stuff to save the clean one. This is a great move if you have multiple handles for your dusters but a few words of warning. I would NEVER dust without a free hand to catch falling objects. This goes double for you housekeepers. If you can help it, always keep a hand ready to save you from making an insurance claim.

Now that you have used the dirty duster as the heavy-duty dust collector to the point that it isn't collecting dust, you can wash it. I learned this one by accident. I put a dirty duster in my pocket before I put my shorts in the hamper and surprise, surprise it came out pretty clean! This process may even score you a new clean duster. Happy dusting!

Here is a link to my TikTok video on how to clean a Swiffer Duster!

3. Mop Heads

Let's get one thing straight, I am not talking about rayon mop heads. Even the looped end rayon mops aren't very good for long periods of use. Have you ever mopped with one of these mop heads and found little strings from it wrapped around the feet of your furniture? You know I have.

I used these mops exclusively for the first few years that I was a housekeeper for no other reason than I didn't know any better. I don't want to rag on anything too badly, but I will not be buying any of these mops anymore. They are made up of large threads that wear out and begin to break off into small pieces. After repeated use, they will end up leaving little strips of rayon on the floor and wrapped around the bottom of your furniture. If a mop is something you use very often, I wouldn't recommend rayon.

I have two brand crushes, one of which being O-Cedar, the other is Bissell, but we will come to that later. These mop heads are pretty much indestructible. They are the first mop heads that I have ever thrown away for being too dirty and not because they fell apart. Do you know what is also amazing about them? They are microfiber! So, not only do they stay together, but it is like using a rag on your hands and knees!

This mop head is used in my business every day and I couldn't be happier, but let's get back to making less waste. Buying higher-quality mops aside, these mop heads can be washed in the washing machine! They can be reused over and over!

Links

Facebook

TikTok