Ten TikTok Home Hacks You SHOULDN'T Attempt
Whilst TikTok has become one of the most popular social platforms to share home hacks, did you know that some of these tips could be doing more harm than good?
MattressNextDay has dissected the credibility of 10 TikTok home hacks, and uncovered that carrying these out can actually cost you more money in the long run…
https://www.mattressnextday.co.uk/advice/10-tiktok-home-hacks-you-should-be-doing-this-way-instead
1. Painting your sink is likely to result in you having to replace it entirely
#painting – 32.8 billion views on TikTok
Whilst painting your sink has been a popular hack on TikTok, this should only ever be carried out by a professional as doing a DIY job could result in your sink becoming permanently damaged and needing to be replaced (which costs an average of £562).
2. Mixing cleaning products together can cause chemical burns
#cleaning– 12.2 billion views
On TikTok, many cleaning influencers suggest that you mix certain cleaning products together to make the strength of the product more powerful, however, you should never do this. Mixing bleach with alcohol or even vinegar and lemon juice can cause chemical burns.
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3. Painted floor tiles will become patchy, and can become a health hazard
#floorpainting – 91 million views on TikTok
Whilst painted floor tiles may look pretty, the paint is often not durable enough to handle the natural wear and tear gained from being walked on. What’s more, painting your tiles could create chips which can not only cause a health hazard, as people can trip over, but it will result in you having to replace the whole floor.
4. ‘Laundry stripping’ could cause permanent dye loss on your bedsheets
#laundrystripping – 85.5 million views on TikTok
This involves soaking your bedding in a solution of Borax, Arm and Hammer baking soda and laundry powder, and is designed to remove ‘dirt’ that remains after the bedding has been washed. However, these strong chemicals can actually cause permanent dye loss on your sheets, and make them harder.
5. Painting your kitchen worktops can create germs that mix with your food
#paintedcountertops – 18 million views on TikTok
A lot of worktops are made from laminate meaning that the paint won’t bond to the surface as it is designed to be impervious. Minor bumps will cause chips that bacteria can get into, where you are prepping food.
6. Using an air freshener to clean your radiators could result in a fire
- #radiatorclean – 3.9 million views on TikTok
People have begun sharing a ‘hack’ in which they spray a Fabulousa air freshener inside their radiators, pushing the dust out, to clean it whilst the fresh, clean smell lingers. However, the label on the bottle states that you should ‘keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames’ which applies to radiators and can, in the worst-case scenario, cause a fire.
7. Be careful painting your bathroom pink as it could impact your house value
#pinkbathrooms – 2 million views on TikTok
Research shows that the best interior colours to increase your home’s value are blue, green, grey, cream and white. So, whilst pink bathrooms are a popular hashtag on TikTok, we’d refrain from decorating it this colour as the bathroom is one of the most expensive rooms to replace (costing up to £7,400), which could put off potential buyers from making an offer.
8. Don’t use a drill to clean your bathtub as you could damage it
#cleaningwithmydrill – 1.4 million views on TikTok
A big trend on TikTok features attaching a sponge or cleaning utensil to your drill, lathering it in a cleaning product and turning it on to dig deep into the crevices of grout, bathtubs and more. However, the strong force could chip or damage your bath or grouting, or not holding it correctly could result in an injury.
9. Avoiding painting your stairs white
#paintingstairs– 50,000 views on TikTok
Painting your stairs is a cheap method to make your home more appealing, however, you should refrain from painting the treads (the part you walk on) white. As this area is walked on multiple times a day by multiple people, it can lead to wear and tear that is extremely noticeable and will need to be repainted regularly.
10. Ironing your bedsheets whilst they’re on the bed can permanently damage your mattress
#ironedsheets – 10,000 views on TikTok
Mrs Hinch fans made this a popular hack, however, you should never iron your sheets whilst they’re on the bed as heat can permanently damage memory foam and latex mattresses. Instead, a top tip is ironing your sheets when they’re still slightly damp. You should also fold your sheet in half vertically, then iron it that way, as your sheets are thin enough to be ironed on both sides with one movement. Or if you don’t want to iron at all, use some watered-down fabric conditioner and spray this once your sheet is on your bed.
