Cleaning is a mammoth task, especially in the kitchen area, which gets pretty messy while preparing different cuisines during the day. While people try several cleaning hacks to make the job easy and quick, the results rarely meet their expectations and instead do more harm than good. With that in mind, we have listed some of the most popular kitchen cleaning hacks that don’t work, along with alternatives worth trying.

Using the oven’s self-cleaning feature
Although modern ovens have a self-cleaning feature, using it makes things worse. In most cases, the appliance heats up and releases harmful gases, leading to indoor air pollution. If you still wish to use this trick, turn on the exhaust fan in the room, start the oven’s self-cleaning feature, and leave it untouched for a few hours. Then open the windows and air out the room to eliminate the toxic gases and their accompanying odor.

Using bleach to clean the counters
Another cleaning hack that doesn’t work involves using bleach on the kitchen countertops. It’s common for stains to remain on the surface after handling poultry, fish, and raw meat. However, using bleach to eliminate them can emit volatile compounds that may trigger headaches, asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues. Experts suggest working with a cleaning solution containing 3% hydrogen peroxide as an alternative. It can remove stubborn stains and disinfect the counters to avoid germs and bacteria.

Rubbing the stovetop with car wax
Some claim that applying a thin layer of car wax on the stovetop can make grease splatters easier to clean. However, car wax is incredibly combustible and must never be used near a fire. Instead, scrub the area with a good old cooktop cleaner.

Putting lemon wedges in the dishwasher for cleaner dishes
This kitchen cleaning hack can keep your dishes smelling fresh but won’t make them clean. Typically, a single wedge doesn’t contain enough juice to clean adequately compared to the amount of water in the dishwasher. So, if your dishes aren’t turning out clean enough, get another detergent from the market or deep clean the machine before use.