Most people don't relish the thought of cleaning, but how would you feel if you realised that a lot of what you're doing is unnecessary and, at times, even counterproductive? There are plenty of common cleaning mistakes that are both easily avoided and can save you a lot of time and effort.

For instance, when you're in a rush (or just feeling lazy!) it can be tempting to spray cleaner onto your kitchen or bathroom tiles or surfaces and get to work scrubbing straight away. In fact, it's much better if you can leave the product for a few minutes. This way, it does most of the hard work for you, so all you have to do is give it a quick wipe and rinse to leave everything looking sparkling.

Another common mistake is to clean your windows on a sunny day. As tempting as this is (after all, it's more pleasant for you to be out in the sunshine!), in reality it's best avoided. The sunshine will make your window cleaner dry much faster, often resulting in streaks that compel you to start scrubbing all over again.

When it comes to any kind of cleaning, there's a rule to follow that will help you avoid having to tackle the same chore multiple times: working from top to bottom. This means doing things like dusting lampshades and shelves before vacuuming; doing things the other way round will mean you only knock dirt onto your freshly cleaned floor.

Another major mistake to avoid is forgetting to wash your cleaners - so things like cloths, mops and sponges. Trying to clean with a dirty tool is hard work and, ultimately, ineffective, so remember to make sure whatever you're cleaning with is spotless before starting, whether that means cleaning them before you begin or simply replacing them.

If you find cleaning is taking too long even with these tips, why not try the services of a cleaning company?

Copyright @ FastKlean