6 house-cleaning myths busted

These things could add more work to your cleanup

HOUSTON – If you have company coming for the holidays, you might be scrambling to get your house clean. You could hire a professional, but that costs money. Consumer expert Amy Davis is highlighting some cleaning myths, according to consumer reports, that might actually slow you down and create more work for you.

Newspaper is best for cleaning glass

Not so, said cleaning experts at Merry Maids. The paper gets wet and can tear easily and you can end up with ink on your window trim.
Use microfiber cloths instead. 

Feather dusters are best for dusting

It seems microfiber cloths are your friend when it comes to cleaning. You'll want to ditch the feather duster and use a microfiber cloth instead. 
Feather dusters attract dust, but can also spread it around and sometimes leave feathers that you then have to pick up. 

String mops are best for floors

Nope. Industrial mops are used in most businesses, but studies show microfiber mops are 20 percent more effective at removing dirt and bacteria. So stick to the microfiber mop.

Coffee freshens garbage disposals

If your disposal has a stench, you might be tempted to put your coffee grounds down there. That's not all bad, it will help remove gunk. But experts say baking soda is a better choice for eliminating odors.

Coca-Cola cleans toilets

No. Coca-Cola should not be used to clean your toilets. It could actually make stains darker. Stick with the traditional cleansers. 

Hair spray removes ballpoint-pen ink

This used to be true, but hair sprays have changed. Now they are full of stiffeners that often make the stain worse. Just use plain old rubbing alcohol instead. 


About the Author:

Passionate consumer advocate, mom of 3, addicted to coffee, hairspray and pastries.