8 Things You Should Never Clean with Water

While I love to test out the latest and greatest cleaning gadgets or products, I also appreciate a simplified cleaning arsenal. And it doesn’t get much simpler than water. Good ol’ H2O! There are many cleaning jobs that can be tackled with nothing but water and the gentle scrubbing power of a microfiber cloth (think: cleaning screens, wiping fingerprints from door frames, and cleaning off the surface of your WFH desk). But in some cases, using water to clean can cause more harm than good. 

Here are eight things you should never clean with water.

You know you need to keep your leather shoes and purses out of the rain, so it makes sense that you should keep water away from your leather goods in general. Using water on leather, whether it’s clothing, accessories, or furniture, can leave streaks and spots and, over time, cause the leather to crack. Use dry cleaning methods instead, and when necessary, a leather cleaner. 

Moisture and electronics don’t mix. Don’t ever use water to clean your keyboard, televisions, remote controls, or computer screens. (Even if you’ve gotten pasta sauce on them while following along with a recipe.) Instead, use a lens cleaning cloth or microfiber rag and a small amount of alcohol or specially formulated lens cleaner to get your electronics cleaned. Bonus: Alcohol will also disinfect these high-touch surfaces. 

Cleaning brass or silver with water might take care of smudges in the short term. But over time, using water on these materials will wear away their protective coating and lead to tarnishing. Instead, use polish specifically made to clean and protect these items.

Most of us are familiar with the problems caused by wet items on wood. It makes sense that we wouldn’t clean these things using water. Water damages the protective finish on wooden furniture. Dust your wood furniture regularly and use wood polish or lemon oil for deeper cleaning. 

Water and wood floors don’t mix. Water can eat away at the protective finish of your floors and then water can seep into the wood, causing irreversible discoloration and swelling over time. Dust your hardwood floors regularly and use a hardwood floor cleaner and microfiber mop that won’t damage your floors. If you insist on using a mop, make sure it’s just barely damp rather than wet. 

Careless sprays with water or sloshing around a too-wet rag on your gas burner stovetop can actually wreak havoc on your igniters. If you’ve ever experienced your igniter clicking without turning off, this could be why. Your igniters will usually self-correct once they dry out, but they could be permanently damaged. Spray your cleaner onto your cleaning cloth or squeeze out excess water before cleaning near your burners.

Don’t use water to clean the soft, fuzzy fabrics that cozy up your breakfast nook. Water can cause these materials to streak or stain, and could even cause them to shrink or pill. When it comes to dirt and messes on these fabrics, opt for regular vacuuming, a soft brush, and, as needed, a foaming upholstery cleaner, or specialized suede cleaner. 

Because silk is delicate, it might seem like water is the most gentle option for cleaning it. But water can leave its own mark. Take caution when using water to clean silk, even if the item is labeled as washable. Spot-cleaning is a no-no as well because water tends to leave streaks, spots, and marks. Instead, wash the entire garment on the gentle cycle or by hand with detergent formulated for delicates. The safest option is to take it to a dry cleaner.