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10 Common Cleaning Mistakes That Promote Germ Growth

December 30, 2022 · 9 min read
cleaning
Photo by Fuss Sergey from shutterstock.com

7. Forgetting to clean the washing machine

What makes it dirty: The drum, the lid or door, and the detergent dispenser of a washing machine might all be contaminated with dead skin cells, dust mites, and stain residue from the garments within. Because of this, you might end up washing your clothing in unclean water, which makes them smell bad and besides that, your clothes won’t be clean either.

Solution: To solve this annoying issue, you should run a lengthy, hot cycle on your top-loading washer. Add roughly 34 fl oz of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda to the almost full drum of water, then halt the cycle and let the mixture sit there and do its magic for at least 1h, but keep the lid open.

Remove the lid and clean any other accessible areas while the cycle is stopped. When you’re done with that, put the top back on and start the washing machine. If necessary, you can repeat the vinegar and baking soda wash, wipe off the interior of the washer, and let the machine air dry with the lid open.

If you have a front-loading washing machine, fill the detergent drawer with a mixture of 1/4 cup baking soda and water, and then add 2 cups of vinegar to the drum. Prepare your equipment for maximum heat and let it work its magic.

Remove any remaining detergent from the dispenser and wipe off the outside, door, and drum after the cycle is complete. When this whole process is over, check the gasket, but make sure you’re careful. Don’t forget to crack the door open a little in between loads, to let everything air dry. Your washing machine should be clean and shiny!

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17 responses to “10 Common Cleaning Mistakes That Promote Germ Growth”

  1. JRC says:
    February 18, 2023 at 3:59 pm

    THANK YOU !! VERY USEFUL.

    Reply
  2. Jean Ingram says:
    February 18, 2023 at 6:21 pm

    Yes! Thank you for the article.

    Reply
  3. Roberta Wagner says:
    February 20, 2023 at 2:59 pm

    Very helpful

    Reply
  4. Linda says:
    March 21, 2023 at 10:14 am

    I thought about the toilet brush idea before and I am cleaning it more often since Covid has surfaced. That never hurts anyways. Preventing illness goes a long way.
    I’d clean it with a soap ( not soup) solution though. 🤣

    Reply
    • Clayshia A Willis says:
      July 3, 2024 at 5:43 pm

      A few drops of Lysol in cleaned toilet, swish toilet brush well & this should prove sufficient! The bottle claims it will kill even Covid germs.

      Reply
  5. joe h says:
    March 21, 2023 at 7:16 pm

    what kind of soup do u recommend to clean the toilet brush?

    Reply
    • Lourdes says:
      March 22, 2023 at 11:03 pm

      Ha, ha! I wondered the same thing!!

      Reply
    • Rhonda says:
      March 23, 2023 at 3:53 pm

      Lol not soup soap the best thing is bleach

      Reply
    • Constance Herchenbach says:
      November 12, 2023 at 1:50 pm

      Homemade Chicken noodle soup. It will have never felt better!

      Reply
  6. Ruth Bondura says:
    March 21, 2023 at 7:45 pm

    Very helpful. I do most of the things I’ve read. Great to know my home is clean,

    Reply
  7. Nefrinah says:
    March 22, 2023 at 11:44 am

    Very good information & helpful as well, thanks.

    Reply
  8. john b says:
    March 22, 2023 at 12:18 pm

    the suggested process of adding baking soda to vinegar is a waste of time. The vinegar will convert the baking soda to sodium acetate, water, as well as carbon dioxide gas. I suggest that you do two different steps. 1st vinegar as an anti microbial treatment and 2nd) baking soda to absorb odors.

    Reply
  9. Rae says:
    March 23, 2023 at 10:35 pm

    I can’t believe that this a real cleaning suggestion.

    Reply
    • Sharon Sanchez says:
      July 3, 2024 at 4:12 pm

      Carbon dioxide is something we exhale. It is not good to be inhaled as it displaces oxygen and makes you drowsy or sleepy.

      Reply
  10. Karen Inwood says:
    June 4, 2023 at 2:26 am

    Bleach is a carcinogen and extremely dangerous!
    Natural cleaners like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, borax, and baking soda are certainly safer

    Reply
  11. BARB BINKLEY says:
    May 13, 2024 at 10:54 am

    AWESOME Great to know some mistakes you are making in cleaning. I know some of them but would like to know more. THANKS

    Reply
  12. BARB BINKLEY says:
    May 13, 2024 at 10:55 am

    AWESOME Great to know some mistakes you are making in cleaning. would like to know more. THANKS

    Reply

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