It’s easy to see the obvious dirty spots in a home like spilled food on kitchen counters, soap scum in the shower, or a pile of dirty laundry. But what about the spots that may not look particularly dirty but are actually the ones that can affect the health of your family?
Let’s take a look at your home room by room and shed some light on hidden dirt and bacteria and how to get rid of it.
1. The kitchen sink
Food particles left in your sink are a major breeding ground for E. coli and salmonella. Those bacteria quickly spread to your food and hands, so it’s important to knock them out, fast. Scrub your sink with a bleach-and-water solution at least once a day.
2. Countertops
Unwashed produce and raw meat leave a nasty trail on your pretty countertops. Wash your countertops with hot, soapy water every time you use them for food prep, and use a bleach cleaner at least once a day.
3. Doorknobs
This category doesn’t limit itself to knobs on doors. We’re also talking about cabinet pulls and the temperature-control knobs on your stove. You touch these knobs all day long, oftentimes with less than clean hands. For most of the knobs, a weekly wipe-down with disinfecting wipes will work. If the knobs are removable, soak them in warm soapy once a week.
4. Remote control
How much time does this thing spend in someone’s hand? How often is that hand alternating between the remote and a bag of chips? It’s no wonder your remote control is crawling with germs. Wipe it off with a disinfecting wipe at least a couple times each week.
5. Toothbrush
Not only do you use your toothbrush and then put it away wet, but you probably store your toothbrush on the bathroom counter. Do you think everything in that toilet is contained in the bowl when you flush? Nope — it goes everywhere. Do yourself a favor and keep your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet if possible, replace it frequently and close the toilet lid before you flush.
6. Keyboard
You sit at your computer while you eat, while you’re sick, and in between the rest of your daily tasks. Trust us, that keyboard is gross. Vacuum away the crumbs and use electronics-safe wipes to clean both the keyboard and the mouse. To avoid the mess in the first place, wash your hands frequently and keep the food away from your desk.
7. Cell phone
That thing is in your hands all day. It’s no wonder it’s germy. Electronics wipes are your best solution, but most disinfecting wipes will probably work — just check the label on the wipes to make sure they don’t advise against it.
8. Dish towels
Your dish towels wipe up dirty messes and sit around damp on your counters all day. Change dish towels frequently, and wash the dirty ones in hot water.
9. Sponges
Sponges are even more gross than dish towels because you leave them sitting out soaking wet (hello, bacteria!) and use them for long periods of time. At least once a day, place your wet sponge in the microwave for two minutes to zap germs, and replace it at least every couple weeks. Even better, swap your sponge for a washable dishcloth.
10. Cutting boards
Cutting boards deal pretty strictly with raw foods, so they tend to gather a lot of bacteria. Wash your cutting boards well between uses in the dishwasher (but not the wooden ones!) or with hot, soapy water.
11. Light switches
Think about how many times you touch these each day without even realizing it. Now think about how often you clean them. Gross, right? Use a disinfecting wipe on all of these at least once a week, too.
12. Washing machine
How often do you put a load of clothes through the wash, and then let it sit for days hours? If those clothes sit for more than 30 minutes, they become a breeding ground for bacteria (and the clothes stay germy once they’ve finally been dried). If they’ve sat wet for too long, wash them again to disinfect both the clothes and the machine.
13. Coffee reservoir
If you clean your coffee reservoir regularly, you are the exception to the rule. Most people tend to forget about it, and that’s pretty gross when you consider that it holds you water you use to make your morning coffee. At least once a month, fill the reservoir with white vinegar, let it sit for a half an hour, then run it through a brew cycle.
14. Pet bowls
You know these things get covered in animal drool, but how often do you clean them? Run them through the dishwasher or wash them in hot, soapy water at least once a week.
