The 5 Worst TikTok Home Hacks of 2021

For every life-changing TikTok hack out there, there's an absolutely ill-advised one, no matter how many views it has. And when it comes to home hacks specifically, there are ​many​ out there that have experts concerned.

In some cases, the hacks might look pleasing to the eye, but in actuality, they'll make your life more difficult. In others, the hacks are downright dangerous. To see what we mean, here are five of the worst TikTok home hacks of 2021 that you should absolutely avoid.

The "CleanTok" hashtag has more than 25 billion views, and for good reason — it is so incredibly satisfying to see things getting a good scrub. But not all cleaning hacks should be followed. In many cleaning videos, TikTokers mix together chemical cleaners, often to "increase cleaning power" or just to put on a show. This is the case with toilet overloading, in which users dump mountains of colorful cleaners into a toilet bowl.

Mixing chemicals is a very risky business. You might create a corrosive compound that could burn your hands or destroy your plumbing, or even worse, you might inadvertently create a deadly gas.

Cleaning your radiators is a good idea, but doing so with air freshener is not. On TikTok, some users are spraying Fabulosa Shock, a spray odor remover available in the U.K., into their radiators to blast out the dust inside the grilles and add fragrance to the room. However, some users reported that the method caused small explosions in their homes.

Fabulosa Shock cans specifically warn that the product is flammable and should be kept away from heat sources. Keep it safe and vacuum or dust your radiator instead, or simply wipe it down (while it's off!) with water.

This is a pretty straightforward one — cleaning bathtubs with sponges or brushes that are attached to power drills is not a good idea. The high speed can cause damage to your tub or fixtures and you might even injure yourself. Use a little elbow grease instead and scrub down your tub with your hands (well, with a sponge, towel, or even a toothbrush) regularly to avoid any deep stains.

While it's true you can paint some sinks to change up their look, there are many caveats involved, which aren't usually expressed in viral sink-painting TikToks. For instance, you can't paint porcelain sinks (though you can hire a professional to refinish one if you'd like). And if you're painting stainless steel or acrylic sinks, you must sand the sink down first, then use an oil-based enamel for the primer and paint. If you aren't careful, you could damage your sink permanently, requiring you to install a new one.

As with sink painting, painting your floor tiles is sometimes possible, but you need to take the right steps to do so successfully — and those details are not usually explained in TikTok videos. Not all paints stick to all types of tile, so you need to do a little research rather than just popping by the hardware store to grab some paint cans.

You also need to take care with prepping the tiles (you'll probably have to sand them down so the paint sticks) and sealing them so that they'll stand up to wear and tear. Don't forget: You won't be able to walk on your tiles until they're dry, which can take days — something else you don't always see on TikTok.