6 Things You Should Never Clean With Disinfecting Wipes, Cleaning Pros Warn

Key Points

It’s no secret that disinfecting wipes are super convenient. The bottle or package they come in is usually easy to transport around the house, and when you’re done using a wipe, there’s no cleanup involved; you can simply throw it into the trash can.

However, keep in mind that disinfecting wipes aren’t a one size fits all solution as you tackle the various areas of your home. There are a handful of items that should actually never come into contact with cleaning wipes, professional cleaners share. So that you don’t make any errors while cleaning, pros are highlighting six categories of items that are not wipe-friendly.

Meet the Experts

Leather or Suede Shoes or Furniture

If your leather sofa or favorite pair of loafers gets stained, you will want to use a specific leather-friendly treatment versus a normal disinfecting wipe. While it may be tempting to reach for a wipe to quickly get rid of a red wine stain or patch of mud, this may cause more harm than good.

“This is especially the case if the wipes contain bleach,” Alessandro Gazzo, a cleaning expert with Emily’s Maids of Dallas, says with regard to items made from this material.

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Vinyl Surfaces

In addition to not using disinfecting wipes on anything made out of leather, you will also want to avoid using them on vinyl surfaces—think car seats and flooring, Sara Aparacio, Homeaglow’s resident cleaning expert, explains. Why? Doing so can result in a number of adverse effects, she explains, citing discoloration, fading, or brittleness as possible results.

Plus, she adds, if your wipes have bleach, they can erode the vinyl, leading it to break down over time.

Toys Kids and Babies Use

It may seem like a no-brainer to give your child’s toys a quick clean using a disinfecting wipe so that they can resume playing right away. However, it’s important to remember that little ones often like to put their toys in their mouths, and you will want to ensure they don’t absorb any chemicals as a result of the products you’re using, Gazzo notes.

Opt for a non-toxic cleaner instead. In a pinch? A simple mixture of soap and water will also work just fine, Aparacio shares.

On Your Hands

Disinfecting wipes shouldn’t be used on body parts, either, even if you’re an adult. Sometimes, people will wipe their hands down using these, but in reality, that’s what hand sanitizer is for. The issue here is again due to the chemicals that make up disinfecting wipes.

Some brands are harsher than others and will even come with instructions advising you to wear gloves when using the wipes, Aparacio shares, which means that by no means should you be using them directly on your skin.

Pet Bowls

In addition to protecting yourself and your children, you will also want to shield your pets from the adverse effects of disinfecting wipes. Be sure not to clean your pet bowls using them, Aparacio says.

“Pets can have severe reactions to the chemicals in disinfectant wipes, either leading to serious stomach problems or painful contact dermatitis,” she says.

Electronics

If your television, phone, or another electronic gadget is looking dirty, be mindful to reach for a screen cleaner, not a disinfecting wipe.

“Electronic screens are extremely sensitive,” Gazzo says.

If you don’t have a screen cleaner on hand, you can use a slightly damp microfiber cloth, he advises. Aparacio agrees that disinfecting wipes and phones in particular are not compatible, and comments that wipes can actually damage the fingerprint-resistant coating on the outside of your phone.

“This makes it harder or impossible to use certain features,” she says.

Read the original article on The Spruce