You worry about germs when you go out, but do you ever think about the germs in your own home?
Even if you clean your home frequently, there are still some things around your house that you may be overlooking. The things in your home that you use most, without even thinking about, can be among the dirtiest of all.
After seeing this list you will think twice about what you touch without washing your hands after.
Sponges
You clean all of your dirty dishes with your sponge and then rinse it off and re-use the sponge again. It’s safest to just consider these sponges disposable though some brands may provide instructions on how to properly clean them.
Studies have found as many as 82 billion bacteria in one cubic inch of a kitchen sponge. Because the CDC estimates 20% of food-related illnesses originate from your own home, it is easy to see why your sponge can play a role in making you sick, even if the rest of your kitchen is otherwise clean.
Cooking Utensils and Appliances
There are some parts to our appliances that may not seem like obvious targets for cleaning. But consider your water reservoir on your coffee pot or the vegetable container on the bottom of your fridge.
Other utensils that are often dirty include rubber spatulas, pizza cutters, or cutting boards. Be sure to clean both of these after each use.
Garbage Can
Even though you take out the majority of the trash in the bag, some germs remain in the garbage can itself. It’s estimated that your garbage can is actually dirtier than a toilet seat. Wipe down your garbage can inside and out with a disinfection wipe every few times you change the garbage bag.
Remote Control
If you eat and watch TV at the same time, you pose a risk of transferring bacteria off the remote onto your food and into your body (unless you are washing your hands between every use of the remote). Take time to clean your remotes frequently with disinfectant.
Bathroom Shower Curtain
Your toilet seems like an obvious threat in your bathroom, but your shower curtain is one you may have overlooked. Wash a fabric shower curtain in your washing machine, while a disposable one should be thrown if it begins to look dirty, particularly on the bottom edge.
Computer Keyboards
If you work on a computer during the day you may unknowingly find yourself reaching from the keyboard to your face to scratch an itch. This subconscious back and forth is a common cause for transferring bacteria into your body.
In order to safely clean your keyboard, make sure the laptop is off or the keyboard is unplugged. Use a lightly wet cloth to wipe down the keyboard but be careful to not get it too wet.