Water seems like a cleaning agent that is the most harmless out there. However, you would be surprised to learn that it is not the case. That is because if you clean certain things with water, it can cause more damage to it than you could even imagine.
There is a reason that certain cleaning products exist because some things just cannot be cleaned with water.
Let’s take a look and talk about the 14 things you should never clean with water.
Velvet
If you clean velvet with water or suede and silk fabrics, it will become damaged. The water will cause the fibers of the fabric to stick and that ruins it. There are special agents for cleaning velvet and fuzzy fabrics like it that will keep it safe and clean.
Laminate And Hardwood Floors
There are water-resistant hardwood and laminate flooring. However, that property wears off over time and water can then cause some serious damage to the material to cause it to warp. Water-resistant means that if a drop of water fell onto it, it would not be harmed. But again, there is only so long that flooring can be water-resistant.
Wooden Instruments
You already know that wood does not react well to water. If you want to clean that wooden guitar or violin, you will end up warping and damaging the wood. There are special solutions that are meant to clean those wooden instruments. Do not take a damp rag that you ran under a tap and start cleaning it. The instruments won’t last very long if you do that time after time.
Electronics
You already know that water and electricity do not mix. This is why you do not want to ever clean your electronics with water. The most you can do is take a lightly damp cloth and wipe around gently to dust off electronics which won’t affect it. But there are also special solutions for electronics. You can also lightly dampen the cloth with rubbing alcohol to clean them up which is a better choice.
Silver
If your silver is tarnished, do not clean it with water. It will only tarnish it even further. Use ketchup instead when it comes to cleaning silver. Ketchup is mildly acidic and that is the trick that you need to clean tarnished silver. It works like a charm.
Contact Lenses
There are plenty of people that clean their contact lenses with water overnight. But the problem is that bacteria thrive on the water which will only contaminate your contacts. That can easily cause serious eye infections. You are given a microbial solution for this purpose so you will want to use it for then.
Light Fixtures
What will happen if you clean your light fixture with water and you then install it back in and you turn on the switch? A fire can start. You know that water and electricity do not mix. Therefore, never clean your light fixtures with water. Use a dry cloth or a dry duster instead.
Electronic Outlets
Let’s continue on with the water and electricity mix because if you wipe your electric outlets with a damp cloth, that can easily start a fire. Or at the very least, you can get zapped. You don’t want that to happen. Once again, only use a dry cloth to wipe around the outlets.
Wooden Furniture
That wooden table that seems so dirty you are so tempted to clean off. And you should clean it off but not with water. Water warps wood and can damage your furniture which was already pointed out previously. There are cleaning solutions for any type of wooden furniture that will clean it and keep it functional and long-lasting.
Brick
Brick is porous and as a result, it is made with a sealant that is protective so nothing can get into it that will erode the brick. That is what keeps the bricks protected when it rains and snows. However, if you purposely clean bricks with water and a lot of it, that will only damage the sealant and erode it. Therefore, the bricks will become ruined in no time.
Leather
Leather absolutely cannot be cleaned with water because water will damage it and leather will end up cracking over time. If you have been cleaning your leather shoes with water for a long time, then stop right away. And be sure to take a good look at it. You likely see that the leather has been eroded and is about to crack if it has not already. There are special cleaners for leather to use instead.
Marble
Marble is an expensive stone and it is also quite porous like a brick. And it has a protective sealant on it. But if you wash marble with water, the sealant will erode and that will then destroy the marble. Use a dry cloth to clean it instead like you would with brick. There are also special marble cleaners if accidents were to happen on a marble floor.
Gas Range Burners
Never use water to clean a gas range burner as the igniters will not turn off if they get wet as they are sensitive to water. That is the last thing you want to struggle with and you will need to call a professional to come over to turn it off. Eventually, it may correct itself. But it won’t be in a timely manner. Use specialized cleaner only to put onto the cloth and wipe the burners with that instead.
Brass
If you have brass fixtures or instruments such as trumpets, do not wash them with water. The water will remove the lacquer and the lead which means the brass will quickly tarnish. Water will ruin it. Only use good quality brass polish to clean anything with brass in it.
Now you see why you cannot just clean anything with water. This means to go and get some specialized cleaners instead of wood, brass, marble, and gas range burners if you have them, and so on.
