New homeowner No-No’s – Inside

Sealants

Needlessly applying sealant to surfaces can permanently discolor stone, concrete, and glass, to name a few. Never use sealant on natural materials like quartz, plastic materials like laminates, or commercial acrylic products such as Formica and Corian. Generally, most materials will not need reapplication of sealants very often.

Instead, test surfaces using water to check if it’s time to reseal. For example, if water on a kitchen countertop seal no longer beads, it may be time to reapply.

Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners contain active ingredients that can damage plumbing. Drain cleaners may seem like easy, short-term fixes for clogs, but they can lead to long-term, costly problems. And the chemicals in drain cleaners are just plain bad for the earth.

Instead, invest your money in a good plunger, a drain snake for tougher clogs, and if those plumbing tools don’t work, call a plumber.

Glass Cleaners

Here’s a little-known consequence to spraying commercial glass cleaner on mirrors:  The liquid can seep into the backing on many types of mirrors, leading to discoloring around the edges of the mirror over time and irreparably damaging the backing.

Instead, simply dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and immediately apply a dry cloth to remove excess water.

Bleach

Bleach is actually damaging to most elements and materials found in use in homes. Do not use bleach to clean sealants on granite and other stone surfaces, vinyl, linoleum, and laminate materials, colored grout, enamel, or acrylic surfaces in a bathtub.

Never mix bleach with cleaners that contain ammonia! Doing so produces highly dangerous and toxic vapors.

Instead, use a vinegar solution. Nothing is better or healthier for cleaning most surfaces in your home.