Cleaning can be therapeutic and down right satisfying. There’s just something about the process of taking something that’s dirty and transforming it into something fresh and clean. But cleaning can also have some unintended and scary consequences if you don’t know what you’re doing. Don’t be an idiot. You are a member of the #cleaningarmy.
7 House Cleaning Safety Tips
Anytime you’re working with chemicals or you’re stretching and reaching into the nooks and crannies of your house, you have to be cautious. Here are some helpful safety tips that will ensure you enjoy the benefits of a clean house without any harmful consequences.
1. When in Doubt, Just Don’t
If there’s ever any hesitation, just don’t do it. If you need to step on the top rung of a ladder and stretch to dust the chandelier in the entryway and it feels a little dicey, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. Either leave it, get a new ladder, or hire someone to do it for you.
The same goes for mixing cleaning ingredients. If you aren’t 100 percent positive that you can do it, don’t. (That sounds really simple right now, but you have to remember it when you’re in the moment.)
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2. Buy the Right Tools
If you’re serious about cleaning your house and staying safe, make sure you have the right tools. For example, if you have high 15- or 20-foot ceilings, don’t attempt to climb a ladder to dust the fan or remove cobwebs from crown molding. Get an extendable dusting wand (Canada) (USA) that allows you to effortlessly reach these hard-to-access areas. Buy the right tools so that you’re able to clean safely and efficiently. Improvising isn’t recommended.

3. Wear Personal Protective Equipment
Household cleaners are not made to come into contact with skin, eyes, or lungs. Even mild cleaners can have harsh chemical reactions and could even cause burns. Your skin is highly absorptive and you don’t want to risk contact with dangerous ingredients.
When cleaning, always wear gloves. It might seem like a simple thing, but choosing the right gloves for the task is important. Protection is always the primary goal, so choose something that’s high-grade enough to keep your hands dry. (You should also read the label to ensure it’s chemical-resistant.) Flexibility is another factor to consider. It’s difficult to clean effectively if you’re wearing bulky, rigid gloves. Disposable gloves are fine, but you can buy reusable ones and save some money over the long run.
If you’re using a product that has strong fumes, wear a mask and make sure you have good ventilation. There are several different kinds of masks. You can research the right one for your needs, but the multi-layer activated carbon filter masks you find at local hardware stores are usually pretty good. Goggles or glasses are also recommended when there’s a risk of wet cleaning products splashing.
When working with any chemicals or cleaning agents you must ensure that you have proper airflow moving through the house. Open any windows nearby and make sure that you turn on any exhaust fans. It’s so important to keep fresh air moving throughout the house every time you clean

4. Protect Your Children
In a perfect world, you’d have an empty house and loud music playing while you clean. However, this isn’t always possible (especially if you have toddlers). If you are cleaning with kids at home, avoid leaving open bottles of chemicals around. Always put the cap back on cleaning products and use the self-lock features on spray bottles. Place them high up on counters and shelves (and away from the edge where they could be tipped over.) It’s also wise to go one room at a time and to clean up as you go. This allows you to keep a small footprint and avoid leaving your children unsupervised in areas you’re cleaning.
5. Label Homemade Products
When making homemade cleaning products, always put a label on the bottle so that you know what it is the next time you clean. You might think you’ll remember, but two brown bottles with a yellowish mixture are going to look very similar the next time you pull them out.
It’s also important to know how long homemade cleaning products last. Some mixtures are only good for a few hours, while others can last for weeks or months when properly stored away. Do your research so that you know ahead of time.
6. Avoid Mixing Cleaning Chemicals
Be careful where you get your advice (ahem, TikTok). At GoCleanCo, we have years of experience cleaning and know precisely which ingredients can and can’t be mixed. However, there’s a lot of bad advice on the internet. As a general rule of thumb, assume that two chemicals cannot be mixed until you learn otherwise.
Mixing chemicals can be very dangerous. Two otherwise safe ingredients can quickly become toxic and harmful when combined together. Other ingredients might be fine in small amounts, but could become dangerous when large amounts are mixed. Plus, individual allergies and health conditions can make certain ingredients harsh to certain individuals. Always do your research and be mindful of which sources you trust your safety with.

At GoCleanCo, because of the dangers of different chemicals, we prefer to keep things simple. But whenever in doubt, remember what we always say….water, bleach, and Tide® – anything else and you need an ambulance ride.


7. Natural Doesn’t Mean Harmless
Just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you. Even certain natural cleaning ingredients and products can be harmful to your skin, eyes, or lungs. That’s why we recommend always wearing your protective gear when cleaning. It might seem like overkill, but it’ll save you some trouble!
Grab The Cleaning Army Handbook Today
Want to learn the ins and outs of cleaning yours like a true member of the #CleaningArmy? Grab a copy of our handbook and we’ll show you how to clean every square inch of your house right the first time!
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gocleanco
Mar 25
Spring cleaning isn’t over until we clean the windows. Sparkling windows make all the difference, you can actually see outside and let the sunshine in! I have a Spring Cleaning offer with @oceansalesltd up in my stories, it is a package deal with the AquaBLADE and the Carbon Tuff Cloths. Check it out! #sponsored
gocleanco
Mar 23
Carpet Cleaner Fight Club 👊🏻 coming at you 3.23.23 get your 🍿 and pull up a 🪑 *Carpets were harmed in the making of this video* #springcleaning
gocleanco
Mar 19
Remember to change your mop head every once in awhile 😎 @hairhouseyeg #shorthair
gocleanco
Mar 18
How am I related to these people… #springcleaning
gocleanco
Mar 17
Spring Cleaning all my @ruggable rugs today! I like to wash my @ruggable rugs in the spring and fall and also anytime someone spills something on them. You can also spot treat your Ruggable, they have a stain guard on them for fast emergency clean up! The Ruggable spring sale is running right now and you can use code SPRING23 for 15% off sitewide and up to 20% off the spring collection but it’s only for a limited time so don’t miss out! #sponsored #ruggablepartner
gocleanco
Mar 13
Are you ready for bathroom week? My tub is so gross I have been pleasure delaying cleaning it just for you. #springcleaning
gocleanco
Mar 10
Does your washing machine smell like a swamp? Well, we have a solution for that…..Plus, @target currently has a Circle offer for $2.00 Tide Washing Machine Cleaner in the Target App! Tide Washing Machine Cleaner should be used once a month to help maintain your machine from build up and odours, it works on both front and top loaders to help maintain your machine so you don’t have to pay someone else to. *Coupon expires April 3, 2023 #sponsored @tidewashingmachinecleaner Certain trademarks used under license from the Proctor & Gamble Company or its affiliates.
gocleanco
Mar 6
Spring Cleaning Challenge 2023 is live on the website! Download the challenge and that is your entry into the contest to win a free house clean from @gocleanco in Fall 2023! Plus we will have other amazing weekly prizes of all my favourite things. Stay Classy San Diego, we had so much fun✌🏻 Now let’s do this Cleaning Army, we only have 4 weeks so we have to stay focused and on task. Follow along with me and your house will sparkle ✨ Full rules listed on our website. #springcleaning
gocleanco
Mar 4
Good Morning San Diego! Well it’s nearly the afternoon and I have only cleaned half a fridge and sprayed an oven but all good things take time and patience. This place is gonna shine up like💎 #springcleaning
gocleanco
Mar 3
@drpimplepopper but for your fridge #springcleaningisherebabyanditsmytimetoshine
gocleanco
Mar 1
#ad Cleaning some stubborn carpet stains with the @bissellclean Little Green® ProHeat® Portable Carpet Cleaner and the amazing @febreze Spot & Stain Formula . It has Heatwave Technology® to help maintain water temperature as you clean, the tools are all included, My fav thing about is (besides it obvious cleaning power and compact design) is that it even has a handy dandy HydroRinse ™ Self Cleaning tool which rinse out the hose when you are done with your dirty work..…finally someone is thinking about cleaning the cleaning tools…my work here may officially be done. *Certain trademarks used under license from The Procter & Gamble Company @bissellcan @bissellclean @febreze #BISSELL
gocleanco
Feb 24
Spring Cleaning Pain Points: What can’t you get clean and you feel like you have tried *eVeRyTHinG* under the sun? Drop it in the comments and I will take ✍🏻 and try to help ya! #springcleaning
gocleanco
Feb 23
I am excited to be partnering on an IG live next week with P&G laundry scientist, Jennifer Ahoni, to discuss their newest laundry innovation, Downy Rinse & Refresh. It’s a fantastic solution to solve your stinkiest laundry issues and we’re going to deep dive into why this is the perfect complement to our favorite laundry detergent. #ad #downypartner #odorisnttheend @downy
gocleanco
Feb 17
What’s your least favourite chore? Mines the never ending cycle of laundry. Like even when it’s done…you still have the clothes you are wearing on while you do the laundry so it’s never actually over…I have been know to rip socks off people if I’m putting in a load of whites to *feel like* I am beating the system 😵💫 I actually don’t mind sorting it, washing it, putting it in the dryer but the party stops there. I hate folding and putting it away. I feel like there should be a robot for this by now—it’s 2023! Now this the AI I can get behind.
gocleanco
Feb 1
Dishwasher Filter 101 🤮 Whose ready for spring cleaning?! I’m gonna start psyching y’all up so you are READY FOR COMBAT. #springcleaning
gocleanco
Jan 19
How often to you mop your floors? Be honest cause I’ll come over and check if you are lying. #cleaningmotivation
gocleanco
Jan 18
Fancy New product Alert: Downy Rinse & Refresh is @downy ‘s biggest innovation in the last 30 years. Now, listen up because this isn’t like regular Downy, it is actually not a fabric softener, even though it goes in the fabric softener drawer! Rinse & Refresh helps with mega stubborn STINKY laundry by removing residue that traps in odour. It’s the perfect compliment to everyday smelly laundry like gym clothes, hockey clothes or that load of towels you left sitting in the washer overnight and actually removes odour three times better than laundry detergent alone. Come watch my stories today — I rounded up my teenage nephews hockey gear 😷and we will put it through the ringer. (Pun intended). What is your stinkiest laundry problem? Let me know in the comments and we can get researching 👩🏼🔬 #DownyPartner
gocleanco
Jan 12
Bleach, Pray, Love (and a little elbow grease) 💕 #cleaningmotivation
gocleanco
Dec 31
Wishing you a Tide-ey New Year. Fun fact about me: I live for Mondays. A fresh new week laid before me gives me motivation to get shit done. And January is the BIGGEST Monday of them all. Many people like to reflect on the last year but I like to look ahead and set some realistic and serious goals for myself. Take a deep breath and wake up from your Christmas haze and write down 5 things you want to get done in 2023…(or make a lock screen saver vision board like I do every year!) You don’t always have to join a gym you know. Maybe you want to clean your attic. Or take more naps. Be more present for your kids. Make your bed each morning. These goals can be small but impactful and have a domino effect throughout your life. Start small. The big stuff will follow. Thank you for sticking with me on this wild ride. We have so much in store for the #cleaningarmy in 2023 so buckle up! P.S. Lets pretend this photo was taken today cause I’m currently in my house coat cleaning everyone’s AirPods. 📸 cred @substanceyyc 💕
gocleanco
Dec 29
Are you team Boxing Day Christmas decor tear down or Team January tear down? I took mine down before we left and I’m currently feeling like it was hands down, my most genius idea of 2022. Now to tackle the worlds largest pile of laundry and prep my life for 2023 🎉 #christmascleanup