4 min readThere’s no better time than the start of fall to deep clean your home. Whether you clean regularly or are doing your best to prioritize it as the holidays approach, there is always room to improve your cleaning routine to make the most of your efforts (and cleaning supplies).
Even though you might think you’re checking all of the boxes as you make your way through each area of your living space, you might accidentally be making some mistakes that can detract from the look of a room or even go as far as to ruin it in some cases.
Just because you spilled something or feel pressure to clean as soon as possible doesn’t mean you should panic. Carrie Moore, a North Carolina-based interior designer, notes that that sense of pressure is why people make easily avoidable cleaning mistakes with lasting repercussions.
When you rush to the nearest cleaning supplies without thinking through what you need to clean and why, you’re more likely to make mistakes. “Not taking the time to research the best course of action, and just kind of using what you have on hand that could lead to [many of these mistakes],” says Moore.
Read on for seven cleaning mistakes interior designers recommend never making to prevent ruining the rooms in your home.
Incorrectly Cleaning Drapery
If you have drapery in your bedroom or living room, how you clean it (or don’t clean it) can impact its overall appearance—and not always for the better. Lauren Lerner, principal designer at Living with Lolo Interior Design, notes that many people fail to research their drapery’s fabric type before steaming it, which can be a big mistake.
“Steam relaxes wrinkles, but on silk, linen, or anything with structure, it relaxes the weave too, and the panel can stretch or lose its shape for good,” Lerner. “People do it because steaming feels gentler than washing, so it seems safe even when it isn't.”
Not Testing New Cleaning Products
While you might be tempted to get straight to cleaning your furniture, floors, rugs, or other items, the wrong cleaning products can lead to damage, compromising the aesthetic and functionality of your home.
“I think that with fabrics, with wood, with anything, start with the mildest cleaning option and work your way up,” says Moore. She recommends starting small in an area that doesn’t draw as much attention in case you run into issues, instead of applying all the cleaning products at once before knowing how they’ll impact your home.
Incorrectly Cleaning Stone
Sarah Schwuchow, an interior designer at Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors, and Terri Brien, owner and principal designer at Terri Brien Interiors, note that if you’re looking to clean stone, particularly natural stone, using harsh cleaners can both damage its surface while causing an area to look duller and less polished—and nobody wants that.
Schwuchow advises avoiding cleaning stone products with bleach and vinegar to avoid potential discoloration and etching. “Make sure to seal the natural stone and use the appropriate cleaner,” she adds. Brien adds that pH-neutral cleaners are generally the best option and notes that using others negatively impacts the sealant, causing it to strip down.
Steaming Hardwood Floors
If you’ve been steaming hardwood floors around your home, Isabel Jackson, owner of the Maryland-based Chelt Interiors, advises changing your cleaning approach. “It causes the wood to swell and leads to warped plank edges,” says Jackson. “Instead, use Bona wood cleaner with a mop, which usually dries within ten minutes.”
Cleaning Vintage Pieces Improperly
While you want to carefully clean all of your home’s belongings, Craig Gritzen, founder and principal interior designer at Curated Style Collective, notes that it is especially important to be careful when cleaning vintage pieces. “One common mistake is spraying cleaner directly onto the surface of vintage items or cleaning with a damp cloth instead of spot testing,” says Gritzen. “Dust gently and avoid spraying products directly on the surfaces.”
With this in mind, he notes that if you have items you don’t want to risk potentially ruining (even if you follow all the necessary cleaning protocols), taking them to a professional specializing in conservation and restoration is key.
Choosing the Wrong Rug Cleaning Gadget
Nancy Davilman, interior designer at ND Interiors, notes that cleaning your rug wrong can cause it to look old and worn out (even when it’s not), and also damage it, which is why it’s important to choose the right tool. She emphasizes the importance of knowing the key differences between different vacuum attachments and settings to minimize damage.
That said, do your research and look at the product and manufacturing instructions before cleaning your rug. If you purchase it at a store, ask the sales associate or rug specialist how to best clean and maintain your rug so it can remain in the best possible condition for as long as possible.
