The 5 viral cleaning ‘hacks’ secretly making your home filthy & silently breeding mould
IT’S practically impossible to go on your TikTok ‘For You’ page without coming across users trying out the latest cleaning hacks.
But while most of these hacks look like a bit of harmless fun, it turns out that some can actually do a lot of damage to your home.
Content creators make the tips they share look effortless and simple; so it’s easy to see why you’d be tempted to give them a go.
Whilst the majority may be life-changing hacks, some are actually quite misleading and ineffective – especially when it comes to cleaning advice.
From mopping your walls to using shaving foam on your bathroom mirrors, here, we reveal the truth about the viral TikTok cleaning trends - that are actually much more dangerous than you might think.
To set the record straight, here, Fabulous spoke to cleaning expert and Product Development Scientist at Astonish, Olivia Young, to debunk TikTok’s most viral cleaning ‘hacks’ that will actually cause more harm than good, as well as alternative tips that are proven to do the job.
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So if you don’t want to cause dirt, damage, damp or mould in your home, you’ll need to pay attention.
Polishing stainless-steel with baby oil
It’s a hack you’ve likely seen before already - as thousands of TikTok users are polishing stainless-steel surfaces around their home, such as taps and sinks, with a microfiber cloth and baby oil.
Stephanie Boot, who posts on social media under the username @stephanieboothhome, was just one user who tried out the baby oil hack.
She explained: “This is how I’ve been cleaning stainless steel appliances for the last 12 years: wash with vinegar and water. Then polish with baby oil.”
The cleaning fan added: “Trust me I swear by this.
“I polish with baby oil and a flat-weave cloth - a little goes a long way so not too much.
“I have tested so many stainless steel cleaning products over the last 12 years and none of them compare to this.
“This is hands down my favourite way to clean stainless steel appliances.”
However, according to cleaning expert Olivia Young: “At a first glance, it might give the appearance of a restored, shining surface - but in reality, it can leave a sticky coating which dust and dirt will cling to almost instantly.
“It will also rub off onto your hands and make them greasy, so if you’re not careful you could end up leaving greasy fingerprints all around your home too!
“For best results, use a water-based stainless-steel cleaner that has been formulated especially for these surfaces and will make them gleamingly clean, without leaving a tacky residue.”
Cleaning mirrors and glass surfaces with shaving cream
When it comes to bathroom mirrors, it’s highly likely that you’ve seen the shaving cream hack recently – it’s been everywhere!
This hack involves applying shaving foam onto glass surfaces as a way to prevent fogging and leave windows and mirrors glistening.
Maddy Kate, who shared her clip under the username @maddykate01 decided to give the shaving foam trick a try.
She explained: “If you hate your bathroom mirrors getting steamy, apparently buffing shaving cream onto them will stop them from fogging up so I found some and got to work.
“It was harder to get off than I expected and it does leave a slight mark.
“However I tested it against this small mirror and it did keep the steam at bay.”
However, Olivia Young set the record straight, as she revealed: “The problem with using shaving foam is that once it’s dried, it will likely leave streaks on the surfaces.
“This will then cause dust and debris to stick, which will make the windows dirtier than before you cleaned them!
“To restore your window’s gleam, opt for a specialist glass cleaner and follow up with a diluted solution of washing up liquid and water to prevent the windows from fogging.”
Mopping your walls
You may have seen more than one using a mop to clean their walls.
@momthatlovestoclean is one of many who recommended the solution, as she advised social media users to mop their walls.
She said: “I'm using the easy wring deep clean mop refill and the quick and easy recipe to wash my walls.
“When you clean your walls, you get rid of hidden odours in your home and you are really only notice that once you're done and the new mop head refill worked great.”
However, if you’re going to avoid any hack, make it be this, as Olivia claimed: “This should be considered one of the worst cleaning hacks on the platform!
“An emerging cleaning tip on TikTok suggests using regular mops to wipe down the walls of your home, in order to get to those hard-to-reach places.
“This is a really no go for a couple of reasons - a wet mop on the walls can very easily damage paintwork or wallpaper.
“It can also cause dreaded damp, which you want to avoid at all costs.
“Put the mop down and instead, stick to dusting your walls and spot cleaning marks as needed. This will also avoid mould growing in your home.”
Cleaning your carpets using a lint remover
If hoovering your carpets simply isn’t enough for you, and you fancy trying out the famous lint remover hack, you’ll want to pay attention.
@nanasonfire, is just one of many social media users that have bought a lint remover to get her carpets clean.
The cleaning enthusiast shared how she uses the lint remover to remove stubborn dog hair from the carpet on her stairs.
However, Olivia penned: “Using a lint remover does seem like a great solution to removing those bits the vacuum just seems to miss and it certainly will get to embedded pet hairs and fluff.
“That said, in the process it will most likely damage your carpet fibres and create a rough, uneven texture.
“If you’re finding there’s still lots of bits on your carpet post vacuum, it might be time to invest in another appliance or give the vacuum a full, deep clean to ensure the filter and parts are able to work effectively.
“Don’t forget your carpets can contain all sorts of unwanted dirt that you can’t necessarily see - from pollen and pet hair, to dead skin and dust mites, not a pleasant thought!
“To ensure they stay fresh and clean, it’s a great idea to get your carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year.”
Unblocking your plugholes with vinegar and baking soda
Finally, clogged up plugholes are a total nightmare for so many reasons, not to mention the nasty smells they bring.
To tackle this, the latest TikTok hack has seen users combine vinegar and baking soda to battle this common problem.
@idealhomeofficial is just one TikTok account that has used a DIY mix to unblock a sink.
Using bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, as well as washing-up liquid and boiling water, the TikTok account demonstrated the sinking cleaning fizz method.
However, Olivia revealed: “To some degree, this can work, as the fizzing action when the two chemicals meet can help break down deposits hidden deep under the drain.
“However, this doesn’t mean it is actually an effective cleaning solution.
“The reason for this is actually pretty scientific. Simply put, vinegar is acidic, while backing soda is alkaline – this means they actually neutralise when they are mixed together essentially cancelling each other out.
“So, whilst you’ll hear and see that fizzing action, it’s not really doing a lot.…
“With this in mind, it’s worth investing in both a plughole unblocker and concentrated disinfectant, that together can not only unblock your plughole, but also disinfect the area and usually provide a nice fragrance too - removing that pungent smell that leaves you wincing every time you make a trip to the sink.
“Top tip – don’t forget to remove the plug and clean the grime behind the plug as well, as this area is easily forgotten about.”
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