Work-From-Home (WFH) is the default arrangement again. As you spend more time at home, have you ever wondered where most germs and bacteria are hiding in your home? Get ready to whip out your to-do list because these are the top 10 spots in your home that may need extra cleaning!
Dish sponges make the perfect breeding environment for bacteria as they are exposed to moisture and remain wet.
According to a study by an American safety and public health organisation, dish sponges can contain mold and yeast, staph bacteria, and even coliform bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli. Although most of these bacteria are harmless, they may lead to mild illnesses like abdominal cramps and diarrhea. In serious cases, they may even cause respiratory diseases like pneumonia.
To minimize spreading these disease-causing germs, microwave your wet sponges for one to two minutes daily. (Dry sponges could cause a fire!) Cleaning your sponge does not completely eradicate the germs, therefore also make sure to replace your dish sponges once every two weeks or more.
You would think that bathrooms contain the most germs. But, think again and don’t look too far because kitchen sinks actually contain the second-most germs and bacteria at home.
Kitchen sinks serve as the one place we wash off the dirt and grime of not only raw food but also our used plates and utensils. Germs thrive in such an environment because of the nutrients they can feed off of and exposure to moisture.
If your kitchen sinks are made of stainless steel, *do not use bleach as a disinfecting agent as it will stain and damage the stainless steel. This applies to your pipes too. So, check if your kitchen drain pipes are stainless steel before disinfecting with bleach.
Instead, some alternatives to bleach include vinegar and baking soda.
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Make your way to the bathroom and clean your toothbrush holders as they are even more germ-ridden than the toilet seat! Toothbrush holders can contain mold, yeast, coliform, and staph bacteria.
If your toothbrush holder is placed close to the toilet, it (and your toothbrush) may lie exposed to particles that spray through the air whenever you flush the toilet. Therefore, just as we keep it a habit to regularly replace our toothbrushes, remember to clean your toothbrush holders as well!
Place the toothbrush holder away from the toilet seat, e.g. in a closed cabinet. Also, make it a habit to close the toilet lid whenever you flush the toilet. Disinfect your toothbrush holder once or twice a week by washing it with warm soapy water, rinse and let it dry.
Pet owners take caution! Just as often as we wash and rinse our own plates and utensils, make sure you do so for your pets too!
As lovable as they seem, we all know that our pets are prone to getting into contact with dirt, especially if they go outside. Germs and bacteria eventually enter our homes and thrive in our pet’s bowls and toys. Therefore, make sure to clean your pet’s items too!
Wash pet bowls and hard toys daily with warm, soapy water. Soft toys can be included in your washing machine’s sanitizing cycle once a month or more. To effectively disinfect them, soak the pet bowls and toys in a solution of bleach and water once a week for up to 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly and wiping with disinfecting wipes or leaving them to air dry.
Here’s news that would keep all of you coffee lovers out there awake: your coffee maker may not be brewing only your favourite morning coffee. Coffee reservoirs make the perfect breeding environment for these creepy, crawly germs.
Cleaning your coffee reservoir differs according to the appliance you are using. Therefore, follow the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning instructions to safely and effectively clean your coffee reservoir. A DIY natural cleaning agent that you can also use is vinegar. It is recommended to clean the coffee reservoir after every 40 to 80 brew cycles or every month by letting the vinegar sit in the reservoir for half an hour before letting it run through the unit by brewing it. Afterward, run two to three cycles of freshwater to wash away the vinegar.
As the first thing we touch right after using the toilet, bathroom faucet handles are undoubtedly some of the germiest spots at home. Doesn’t it make you uncomfortable knowing that even after you wash your hands, you would have to touch these germ-ridden handles to turn off the running water?
Wash your faucet handles daily with disinfecting cleaner, rinse and wipe dry. Or clean using disinfecting wipes.
As we all know by now, kitchens are more germ-ridden than bathrooms. Therefore, it is no surprise that countertops would also contain most germs and bacteria since we place many items and even prepare our meals on it.
Therefore, disinfect your countertops regularly before and after preparing a meal. Countertops are made of different materials, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions to safely and effectively clean your countertop. Some materials are also naturally antibacterial, so next time you are remodeling your kitchen, you may want to consider using materials like engineered quartz for your kitchen countertops!
Also, try to keep non-food items away from your countertops. Otherwise, disinfect them using disinfecting wipes after using them.
It is easy for our stoves to become greasy and dirty as oil and food residue splatter while cooking up a meal. Considering how we touch these knobs right after preparing our ingredients, stove knobs are likewise easily contaminated with germs and bacteria.
Remove your stove knobs and wash them with soapy water, rinse and dry it before re-installing them on your stove.
The last on our list is the number one spot where raw food is prepared - cutting boards. Cutting boards are ideal places for germs and bacteria as they come into contact with raw food frequently. Germs and bacteria can especially hide in the small crevices of wooden cutting boards, which soaks up the juices from meat and poultry. While plastic cutting boards are easier to sanitize, germs and bacteria can still hide under the grooves left after frequent use of the cutting board.
It is recommended to use separate cutting boards for different foods. For example, have designated cutting boards for poultry, meat, and fruits and vegetables.
To clean your cutting boards, wash with regular dishwashing or antibacterial soap and rinse with water before leaving to dry upright. Make sure to give small indentations, marks, or scratches an extra scrubbing. Also, remember to wash both sides of the board as you place the board on dirty countertops!
To effectively clean your cutting boards, you can also use these natural home remedies:
As shocking as the above may sound, the presence of germs and bacteria does not mean that you should immediately do some deep cleaning every day to eliminate all germs and bacteria. A completely germ-free home is unachievable, but beware of these spots that you may overlook and remember to add them onto your list of house chores to minimize the spread of these potentially ill-causing germs!
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