The big cleaning product mistake causing 'irreversible damage' to your bathroom

A professional cleaner has revealed the top three things people get wrong when they clean, including one that could ruin the surfaces in your bathroom.

Kellsie Zapata from Zapatas Cleaning Services shared her tips in an Instagram reel and warned a particular product should only be used in the area it's designed for.

The advice comes after seeing countless hacks on social media involving toilet bowl cleaner for all sorts of tasks ranging from grout to walls.

Watch the video above.

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"Do not use toilet bowl cleaner anywhere but your toilet. Do not clean your grout, bathtub, or sink with it. It will damage and strip those surfaces, and the damage is irreversible," she said.

When toilet bowl cleaner is used on grout, it can remove the seal and weaken the grout – this can lead to crumbling and disintegration. Once that kind of damage occurs grout needs to be replaced and resealed, which costs time and money.

Those who have tried a TikTok hack for cleaning walls using toilet bowl cleaner have discovered the product stains the wall blue and the only way to fix that is to repaint it.

Speaking of toilet bowl cleaners, that's one of many products Zapata said we're using incorrectly by not leaving enough dwell time.

Dwell time is important for cleaning products, especially disinfectants, as many products need to sit on a surface for a specific length of time to work properly.

The professional cleaner said we need to read the instructions on cleaning products as this will specify what the dwell time for that product should be. Dwell time is often about five, 10 or 15 minutes before rinsing, scrubbing or wiping off.

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"If you want to disinfect, you cannot spray the product and instantly start wiping. It has to sit on the surface for an appropriate amount of time," Zapata said.

The third thing we're getting wrong when it comes to cleaning is not cleaning the appliances and tools that do the cleaning, like washing machines.

"If you don't, [the washing machine] will not work correctly, and your clothes will not smell good. At least once a month, use a washing machine cleaner that you can buy from the store. Drop it in your washer and run a hot laundry cycle," she said.

Dishwashers also need a deep clean monthly, while the filter needs more regular cleaning. The time between filter cleans depends on how often you use your dishwasher and how dirty your dishes are and can range from weekly to fortnightly or even monthly.

To clean a dishwasher you can either buy dishwasher cleaner from the supermarket and follow the instructions on the packet, or put a bowl of white vinegar in the top rack on the hottest cycle.

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Another cleaning appliance that needs cleaning is vacuums, including the filter, dust bag or canister and the roller head.

The dust bag or canister should be emptied after use, while washable filters should be cleaned monthly. Dust bags need replacing every one to three months and HEPA filters need replacing every three to six months.

Vacuum roller heads can be tricky to clean but using scissors or a sewing unpicker tool to cut hair so you can pull it out is helpful.

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