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Remember when your mom used to tell you that just because everyone does it, doesn’t mean you should too? She was right, and that includes all those common cleaning hacks you see touted around the internet–because some of them just don’t work! Today we’ve got the lowdown on all the cleaning hacks you should never use. Don’t clean again without reading this first.

Cleaning Hacks You Should Never Use

Just because it gets labeled a “hack” and advertised around the internet, doesn’t necessarily mean it works. The hack may even work alright–but not well enough to call it a true hack. A true cleaning hack, in our book, is one that saves you time, money, and actually works really well. Here are the common cleaning hacks you shouldn’t waste your time on.

How many times have you seen someone share that the way to clean a burned pan like this one is with a dryer sheet? Yep, we’ve seen it too. It would be great if it worked–but all it really does it smell good. It doesn’t clean your burned pan. Instead, try our favorite way to clean a burned pan: cover the bottom of the pan liberally with baking soda. Add water to cover, and bring it to a boil. Once the water and baking soda boils, turn off the heat and let it soak until the water is just warm. You will be able to wipe away the gunk in about 30 seconds flat.

It used to be that hairspray would clean the ink out of your favorite shirt. But not anymore! Hairspray is formulated differently now and this hack just doesn’t work as well. Instead, grab a few alcohol pads from a first aid kit, and use them to dab the ink stain away.

Another cleaning hack that doesn’t work is the old “soak stained clothes in salt water” trick. You’re much better off using your favorite commercial stain lifter instead. There’s nothing wrong with that reliable Tide To Go pen!

We’ve tried a certain common cleaning hack you should never use–because it sounds like it would actually work. And that is to use a bottle of cola to clean your toilet bowl. The assumption is that the acids in cola easily dissolve the hard water and lime scale stains that build up in your toilet bowl. But they really don’t work at all! It is better and less expensive in the long run to buy that bottle of commercial toilet bowl cleaner–because it will get your toilet bowl clean, as well as sanitize and deodorize it. Or try one of these natural solutions to clean your toilet.

These are the common cleaning hacks you should never use. Have you tried other common hacks that don’t work? Please share with us in the comments!