There are many popular household ‘facts’, such as cleaning hacks and energy saving tips, you might have taken as gospel, believing each one to be true. But these common beliefs may actually be false and could be doing more harm than good to your home.

Here, we’ve debunked the most accepted myths from around the home and rectified the areas you might have been going wrong.

Click or scroll on to discover the household facts that are actually fiction…

We want to feel safe in our homes and that applies to using household appliances, too. But a common misconception is that microwaves emit harmful radiation that could damage our health.

“Microwaves do emit radiation,” explains Gwil Snook, appliance expert at AO.com, ”but it is not the same as ionising radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays. The design of microwaves ensures that this energy is contained safely, and as long as the appliance is used correctly and the door seals are intact, there is no health risk." That puts our mind at rest!

If you're trying to keep your home insect-free, then you've probably heard of the centuries-old trick of putting conkers (or horse chestnuts) in the corners of your rooms to ward off spiders. But sadly, there is no scientific truth behind this hack.

Conkers contain a chemical called saponin that supposedly spiders don't like, but as they won't be eating the conkers, even being near one won't stop them from going about their business.
There is, however, a little more evidence that this same chemical can help deter moths, so it might be worth hanging a few in your wardrobe.

A warm home that keeps its energy inside is a very desirable selling factor, and one way to stop heat from escaping your property is to ensure you have plentiful loft insulation. But this doesn’t mean you should go gung-ho on layering it up, as your home still needs to be able to breathe.

Without sufficient airflow, your home could be subjected to condensation, dampness and even mould, if your insulation is layered too thickly and moisture can’t escape. Hiring a professional to install the right amount of insulation will make sure you don’t overstuff.

Do you prefer your ketchup cold from the fridge or at room temperature from the cupboard? Well, if it’s the latter, you could be putting yourself at harm, as once opened, ketchup (plus any other condiments) should be kept in the fridge, Heinz has revealed.

While you won’t find it in the cold aisle in the supermarket, this is not to say it shouldn’t be stored there once it’s been opened to maximise its quality and taste, and keep mould at bay. Granted, you’re unlikely to get super-sick from keeping it at room temp, but why risk it?

If you’re green-fingered or just a wannabe, you’ll know that keeping your garden thriving takes some work. And while you might think that a good soaking post-sunset is the best time to give your plants a drink, you run the risk of not only encouraging diseases such as mildew but also of attracting thirsty slugs and snails.

But early in the morning, before the sun has got too high in the sky, is the perfect time to give your garden a good watering, so rise with the birds and get one job for the day ticked off early.

Not only is this a barbaric waste of alcohol, but there is no truth in pouring white wine over a red wine spill to remove the stain. If you’re lucky, it might dilute it to more of a shade of pink, but the stain remains on the carpet and your glass remains empty.

Instead, you could try pouring salt over the mess to try and soak up as much of the wine as possible, but this works best if you then allow it to dry,. However, your first port of call should be to blot with a clean kitchen roll.

A common misconception is that appliances don’t consume power while they’re in standby mode. However, Gwil Snook, appliance director at AO.com, explains this isn’t the case: “Appliances like TVs or microwaves still use a significant amount of energy when in standby. To prevent this, either turn off the plug at the switch or unplug the device entirely, thus saving energy when off.

"Alternatively, consider investing in smart home technology, which enables you to control your devices with the click of a button. By managing standby mode effectively, you can see a positive change in your electricity bills.”

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If you have pets or children, you’ll already be finding yourself vacuuming several times a week, and you might be worrying that you’re causing more harm than good to your carpets.

But fear not, as vacuum cleaners will not damage your carpet due to frequent use, at least not nearly as much as leaving dirt will. If you notice your vacuum cylinder is filling up with fluff, don’t panic; this is totally normal and as long as your vacuum remains on the correct setting for carpets and rugs (not hard flooring), you’ll be fine.

We’re all looking to do our bit to reduce household costs and energy consumption and that’s where solar panels become so attractive. While you’ll have to cover the initial purchase and installation fee, you should reap the benefits in the long run, plus you’ll be doing your bit for the planet.

Contrary to popular belief, solar roof panels still work well in cloudy weather, as the sun doesn’t just stop working, so neither will they. However you might find them to be slightly less effective in winter, due to less daylight hours.

We get it, the post-mealtime clean up needs to be quick and efficient, which means it can be tempting to pour grease and fat down the drain to be rid of it. But even if you follow up by adding boiling water and even washing up liquid, once it eventually cools and solidifies, it can block your drains, cause an almighty stink and ultimately contribute to fatbergs.

The best way to dispose of fats and grease is to pour it into a glass jar or container, wait for it to cool down and then empty it into the bin.

It's the age-old debate: Do you set your heating to low all day so that your boiler ticks along gently, or do you have it set to come on a couple of times a day to heat your home?

Well, according to the Energy Saving Trust, having your boiler running all day, even at a low heat, consumes more fuel and energy, costing you more than if it just comes on a couple of times a day. Use a timer to do the work for you and try keeping the doors to each room closed to keep the heat in.

We all know we should test our smoke alarms regularly to be confident they are working, but to test that the detector is intact (and not just the alarm function), you’ll need to do more than just press the test button for a couple of seconds.

Doing this should emit a noise or beep, but to test the detector, you’ll need to press and hold the button for up to 10 seconds. This tests the sensor, electronics and alarm sound to ensure the whole device is operating correctly. You should also vacuum it regularly to remove dust and dirt buildup.

While dishwashers do a great job at cleaning dishes and cutlery, they sadly do not clean themselves. “Over time, food particles, grease, and limescale can build up,” explains Gwil Snook, appliance director at AO.com. “This leads to unpleasant odours and affects performance, too.

"To keep a dishwasher running efficiently, it’s important to clean the filter regularly. Simply pull out the bottom rack and use a cloth to wipe away any food debris that collects at the bottom, especially around the filter. This helps prevent unpleasant odours and keeps old food particles from circulating during wash cycles."

To achieve soft, boutique-hotel-like towels, you might be under the illusion that adding lots of fabric softener is the trick. Unfortunately, all this will do is clog up the fibres, making them stiff and tacky. The same goes if you use too much laundry detergent; you will essentially be drowning your towels in product, like when you don’t wash conditioner out of your hair properly.

To keep towels fluffy, don’t over stuff your washing machine, tumble them on a cool setting and use dryer balls (or even a tennis ball) to agitate the fibres to keep them soft.

For streak free windows and mirrors, we’re led to believe that a humble newspaper will ensure the best clean. However, newspapers are thin and will likely turn to mush very quickly as soon as they come into contact with water or glass cleaner.

Rather than spending time picking off pieces of wet newspaper from your windows, use a clean, dry microfibre cloth to achieve an even appearance. Also, try not to clean your windows on a sunny day as the glass becomes too warm, meaning the water will dry too quickly leaving behind unsightly streaks.

It’s easy to understand why so many people assume your toilet harbours more bacteria than anywhere else in your home, but the shocking truth is, you’ll find more nasties on your kitchen chopping board than your WC. While we’re not suggesting you don’t regularly clean your toilet, keeping your chopping boards clean is arguably more important as the biggest culprit of harmful bacteria is raw meat.

Running your chopping board through the dishwasher is best, or sterilising it with boiling water. Best practice also suggests you keep one board for meat and fish and one for veggies, bread and cheese.

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From cleaning the toilet, sinks, showers and surfaces to washing floors and even stubborn stains, it’s a marketing gimmick that each of these requires a specific cleaning product. White vinegar is the holy grail of natural cleaning products and coupled with a lemon and some baking soda, the trio will have most areas of your home covered.

Bleach can be used as a disinfectant for loos and drains, but there’s not much that vinegar can’t tackle, plus it’s toxin-free. Just be sure to dilute it for some household jobs (as it can also be used as a paint stripper!).

Hot baths and showers can make your bathroom steamy, and just because you have a window, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an extractor fan, too, to give your washroom the best ventilation.

Even if your window opens, it might be restricted in how far an aperture it can provide, so an extractor fan is still a good idea. Without one, you can expect a damp and muggy room that will soon fall foul to condensation and end up costing you more in repairs in the long run.

Food waste is a huge problem worldwide, but it can be difficult to know what food is still safe to eat after its ‘sell by’ date and which isn’t. Some dates stated on packaging are more of a guideline, such as ‘best before’ dates, which are more about the quality than safety, so eating food past these dates should be fine if it looks and smells ok. ‘Use by’ dates are when it could pose a risk to health, so unless it’s been frozen and then thoroughly defrosted, it’s best to steer clear.

If you’re looking for a worktop that can handle a busy, high-traffic family kitchen, then a stone-based option is a good choice. All worktops are designed to be tough, but stone varieties such as granite or quartz take on more solid and superior qualities and are pretty much scratch-resistant. But this is not to say they are indestructible!

Even the toughest stone worktops have their weak spots, such as being subject to heat and sometimes even staining. So it’s best to still always use a heat-resistant board or trivet to keep stone worktops looking their best.

Bespoke painted shaker kitchen, available from Higham Furniture.

If you’re a keen baker, then you’ll know that your eggs should be at room temperature before baking. But did you know, the rest of the time, your eggs should be kept in the fridge, according to Britain's Food Standards Agency (FSA)? This is to ensure they remain at a consistent temperature, something that is not so easy to control when they are stored on your countertop or in a cupboard.

Eggs should also remain in their cardboard box to stop them from absorbing any odours from other foods and be stored on a shelf rather than the fridge door.

Did you know that while most of us believe that your roof is to blame for lost heat, a higher percentage is actually lost through uninsulated walls and doors? 

In the UK, 25% of your home's heat exits through the roof, with 35% of it leaving through the walls and doors. In the US, the figure is 25% through the roof, but a staggering 60% through the walls, doors and windows. While loft insulation is the more popular remedy for heat loss, these stats show it’s worth insulating these other problem areas of your home first. 

Loved this? Read about more home hacks from organising tips to cleaning wisdom.