Never Clean These Household Items With Glass Cleaner
Store-bought glass cleaner is a handy tool
in any house. It can be used to clean all sorts of surfaces – from
windows and mirrors to sinks and many plastic appliances. Glass cleaners
are also great for de-greasing plastic and glass surfaces quickly and
effectively. That being said, most of these cleaners contain ammonia and
can’t be used to clean everything around your house. In fact, the
ingredients in these cleaning solutions can cause lasting damage on some
surfaces. Check out the cleaning tasks you shouldn’t use a glass
cleaner for.
1. Laptop, Phone, and TV Screens
The chemicals in most glass cleaners can distort plastics over time,
including the tint on the flat panel screen of modern TVs. Yes, you
might get the screens of your TVs, laptops, and smartphones to shine
temporarily after using a glass cleaner on them, but the ingredients in
these liquids are too aggressive and can damage their delicate surface.
We suggest you use a microfiber cloth with a little diluted vinegar to
clean these screens. It will not just give them a shiny look but will
also be safer. Remember to use a gentle touch and not press too hard
when you are cleaning these screens as you might end up damaging them
accidentally.
It would also be a good idea to use disinfecting wipes or liquids to
sanitize your TV, laptop, and phone screens right now. The COVID-19
pandemic is here to stay for a while and it would be prudent to
disinfect these devices to keep germs at bay.
2. Wooden Furniture
The wooden furniture in your house does require regular cleaning.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should use your glass cleaner spray
on them just because it's convenient. As we mentioned, most glass
cleaners contain ammonia which can damage wooden surfaces if used
frequently on them. Moreover, you risk leaving ugly stains or damaging
the polish of your wooden furniture with this cleaning solution.
Remember that wood isn’t like any other plastic item in your house; it’s
a natural material that can dry out and crack, just like our skin. So
if you want to clean any wooden surfaces, get good furniture polish or
wipes. Look for the ones that have food-grade mineral oil and natural
waxes to keep wood moist and protected.
3. Bleach
Never mix bleach with glass cleaner or any ammonia-based cleaning agents
for cleaning purposes. Since bleach is known to be a robust cleaning
agent and does a fantastic job of killing germs, some people might
assume that mixing it with glass cleaner would make the latter more
effective. However, when bleach comes into contact with the ammonia in
the glass cleaners, it produces a toxic gas called chloramines. The
toxic fumes of chloramines can be harmful to you and can even cause
shortness of breath and chest pain. So, never mix these two cleaning
agents.
4. Granite or Marble Kitchen Countertops
Kitchen countertops can get dirty and greasy quite quickly and need to
be cleaned regularly. You might be tempted to use a glass cleaner for
getting rid of the oil splatters, tough stains, food particles, and
other grime from your kitchen countertop. But do note that if you have a
granite or marble kitchen top, a glass cleaner can be harmful to them.
The ingredients of the glass cleaner can prove to be a little too
aggressive for the porous types of stone like granite and marble and can
dull their surfaces or even cause permanent stains.
Instead, get a natural cleaner made specifically for stone. It will
effectively clean your marble or granite countertop and ensure there’s
no staining.
5. Carpet Stains
If you notice an ugly stain on your carpet,
don’t panic and immediately grab the glass cleaner bottle to remove it.
Many glass cleaner formulations have too high of a pH level, which can
set permanent stains or harm the fabric of your fragile carpet. The blue
dye added to most glass cleaners can also easily leave a stain on a
light-colored carpet. And once the blue color sets in on the carpet,
even a heat transfer dye removal process won’t be able to remove it.
To get rid of carpet stains, opt for mild
cleaning agents. A formula that can work is mixing 1/4 cup of white
vinegar and 1 tbsp. of dish soap along with water and spraying it on the
affected area. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes and then wipe it with a
clean, dry towel.