31 August 2023 , 13:32
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There are many items that we heavily rely on in our homes, and one of them is the humble dishwasher. What on earth would we do without it? So many hours would be spent with rubber gloves on, hand washing each individual item whilst despairing that your back hurts. It sounds less than ideal.
But one cleaning expert has revealed the "dirt-plagued" items that she'd never have in her own home, including dishwashers, toilet brushes, and wooden toilet seats. Libby Denney, 28, believes that dirt lingers too much in these areas. And she's been cleaning houses professionally for over 10 years - so she knows her stuff.
She has created a "dirty list" of things she says are either extremely unhygienic or require unnecessary maintenance, and as a result, she'd never have them in her own home. The list of no-go items includes any form of toilet brush, wooden toilet seats, "dust magnet" freestanding baths, "filthy" hallway carpets, and even dishwashers.
Libby also cautions against horizontal blinds and black taps saying without maintenance they can look "tatty" over time - also saying they are a "pain" to clean. Libby, a mum of two from Malton, York, said: "I would advise against all these items - most are just plain unhygienic, and others require high maintenance – we have enough stress in our lives. I don't recommend a wooden kitchen work surface. There is just a lot of maintenance involved - you'll have to keep sanding it down. Also, water and bacteria can seep into it - it can even become mouldy if it is near a tap by sitting water; avoid at all costs."
Controversially, Libby also claims dishwashers can be a hassle too. She said: "If it isn't cleaned or maintained properly, it starts to smell and build-up dirt around the sides - soap and water does it for me."
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"To keep your house clean, you need to be tough with yourself and keep getting rid of items you don't need", she said. "If it was not used in six months, it needs to go. This will all help stop the build-up of dust when you could be relaxing instead."
Here's Libby's "dirty list" in full:
- Wooden kitchen worktops - "Avoid at all cost - mouldy and dirty."
- Black Taps - "They can chip and scratch - stick to stainless steel."
- Hallway carpet - "It'll get filthy - stick to laminate or tiles."
- Wooden toilet seat - "Replace, replace, replace, stick to plastic."
- Dishwasher - "If you don't maintain it will just get disgusting - some soap and a bucket of water clean plates just fine."
- Anything with a gloss finish - "I've made this mistake, require too much maintenance to keep tidy - you see every mark on the surface - stick to matte."
- Toilet brush - "Bin it - just disgusting, let some bleach sit for a few minutes instead."
- Freestanding bath - Build up dust, even worse if it is close to a wall, you can't clean behind it."
- Horizontal blinds - "They need dusting too often - you don't need this hassle."