16 cleaning myths that are only making your home dirtier

Should you clean your home with a feather duster?Getty Images

• Carolyn Forté of the Good Housekeeping Institute helped Insider bust cleaning myths.
• Some "all-purpose" cleaners, like bleach and vinegar, should only be used to clean certain surfaces.
• Though they may have washer in their names, dishwashers and washing machines actually need to be cleaned themselves.

It takes a lot of effort to keep a home tidy, so there's nothing worse than doing more harm than good while cleaning.

To help debunk some cleaning myths, Insider consulted Carolyn Forté, a certified consumer science expert and the director of the Home Care & Cleaning Products Lab and the Textiles, Paper and Plastics Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

Some of these cleaning myths have come from the past, when cleaning supplies were less advanced than they are today.

"Cleaning myths have a way of perpetuating themselves, especially with today's social media platforms," Forté said. "Personally, I don't think myths will ever go away. People love the idea of myths and believing or debunking them, maybe even more so today. Consumers also have their own little cleaning tips that they love to pass along and love to hear tips from others."

Take a look at myths that may be leading you to clean your home the wrong way.