Often the products that go viral aren’t suitable for all surfaces – or worse, they might even cause long-term damage to your home. Here’s a guide to five hacks you should avoid
The promise of a quick fix that will make your home sparkle with minimal effort is hard to resist, especially when it’s trending all over TikTok or Instagram.
But while some of these viral cleaning tips are genuinely useful, many others could do more harm than good according to TikToker Not The Worst Cleaner, who is attempting to debunk the hacks. From damaging your beloved kitchen surfaces to wasting products, these cleaning “shortcuts” could leave you with a bigger mess to deal with.
Sometimes, what’s shared online as a miracle solution simply isn’t as effective as it seems. And often, the products that go viral aren’t suitable for all surfaces – or worse, they might even cause long-term damage. It’s all too easy to jump on the latest trend, but before you rush to the store for baby oil or the infamous Pink Stuff, it’s worth stopping to consider whether it’s really the best approach to the mess you are trying to tackle.
To save you time and frustration, we’ve rounded up five of the most popular viral cleaning hacks you should avoid. So, before you dive into the next viral cleaning craze, take a look at these five hacks and think twice!
The first hack that needs to go is using baby oil on stainless steel. This trick might give your appliances a shiny finish, but it’s not cleaning anything. Instead, you’re just adding a layer of oil that attracts dust and grime, leading to discolouration over time. For sparkling stainless steel, use a cleaner specifically designed for the job.
Next, boiling wooden utensils and chopping boards is a huge no-no. Wood has natural antimicrobial properties, but when you boil it or soak it in water, you’re breaking down the wood’s fibres and stripping away any protective oils. Stick to washing them with warm, soapy water, and give them a rub-down with mineral oil now and then to keep them in good condition.
Another hack that sounds better than it works is using the Pink Stuff to tackle burn marks on your stove. While this cleaner might work wonders on some surfaces, it can scratch and damage glass or stainless steel, leaving behind permanent marks. It’s best to use a product specifically made for stovetops to avoid scratching.
Lysol toilet cleaner for grime might seem like a miracle, but in reality, it strips grout seals and can weaken your tiles over time. Instead, opt for a multi-surface cleaner designed for bathrooms to tackle grime without damaging your surfaces.
Lastly, coating your bathroom floor in shaving cream and mopping it up isn’t just wasteful – it’s ineffective. While it may leave your floor looking shiny, you’re essentially wasting shaving cream, which is designed for shaving, not cleaning. Stick to proper floor cleaners for a more efficient cleaning.
These viral cleaning hacks might sound like time-savers, but they could end up costing you in the long run.
