When we buy or lease a home, many of us forget just how much work is involved in maintaining it.

Indeed, to keep our homes clean, safe, and efficient many tasks need to be completed regularly, and very few of them are fun. However, it is worth noting that among these jobs, there are tasks that we as householders can do ourselves, and ones that are always best left to those with professional experience. The good news is you can discover which are which in the post below. 

Don’t try to do electrical rewiring yourself

The first don’t we must deal with is electrical rewiring. Now, it may seem obvious why DIYing this is a bad idea. However, many people still try to save themselves a few dollars by refusing to call out a professional electrician. 

The thing is that, not only is this a direct safety issue that could impact your family, but it also will end up devaluing your home. After all, when it comes to selling your property things such as the electrical wiring will be tested, and if it is found to not be up to standard or dangerous then it will need to be redone entirely. 

Do have a go at cleaning your washing machine 

One job that you can do yourself is cleaning your washing machine. This is a task that needs to be completed regularly because your washer cleans the dirt from your clothes and home textiles and also uses water. Of course, this combination means it can easily become clogged, dirty, or even worse start to grow mold. 

In particular, the washing powder draw and the pipe that takes your detergent from the draw to the drum are prime spots for nasty mold to develop. Mold that will end up on your ‘clean’ clothes if it’s not removed.

Happily, cleaning your washing machine is one of the easiest home maintenance tasks there is. All you need to do is put it on a high temp cycle with a cup of cleaning vinegar. You can add this to the drum, but adding it in the draw will clear out the pipe mentioned earlier so is even better! 

Don’t attempt DIY carpet cleaning!

While you may be tempted to DIY your carpet cleaning by either using a home machine or renting a machine from your local supermarket, it’s nearly always better to get some help from the professionals with this task. 

The reasons for this are many and include that it’s a big job, and pro carpet cleaners will have equipment that makes it faster and more efficient. Also, once you have washed it can take a long time for your carpet to dry out. Whereas when this task is done professionally the machines they use remove most of the water as they go. 

Do have a go at cleaning the garbage disposal

Garbage disposals can get pretty smelly pretty quickly. After all, their prime purpose is to get rid of trash! Fortunately, this is another part of your home that you can clean yourself. Of course, cleaning your disposal in no way involves sticking your fingers, arm, or any tools down the shoot. Safety is paramount here!

Instead, it’s all about using natural household items like baking soda and cleaning vinegar to keep things cleans. Around half a cup of each, one after another should do the trick. Expect some foam and so add the stopper to prevent it from spreading. Then once you have left it to do its work, rise away with hot water and you’re done. 

Don’t go anywhere near asbestos removal

I hope that it is obvious that asbestos removal or any building or demolition work in an area that contains or that you suspect contains asbestos should never be attempted by a non-specialist! Of course, the reason for this is that asbestos is incredibly harmful, and when its tiny particles are inhaled in even the smallest amount can cause terrible fatal cancers. 

The issue here is that asbestos can be present in older buildings without the owners or residents realizing it. Therefore if your building dates from around the year 2000 (this can differ depending on your location) it’s best to get an asbestos assessment before doing any construction or renovation work at all. 

Indeed, if asbestos is found only professional specialists with full re-breather suits and specialist equipment will be able to remove it by law. You can also expert them to tent off the areas to make sure the tiny fibers do not escape into the surrounding atmosphere as well.