These days, everyone is extremely cautious about what they put their hands on. A better question might be, “Are you really paying attention to EVERYTHING you touch?”
You take care with the surfaces you touch in public, but what about the smaller ones and the things you use every day in your own home?
When we use something repeatedly, our brains and fingers learn to automatically recognize it when we touch it. This puts our health at risk because those items and locations can quickly become covered in germs.
Are you prepared to think about what needs cleaning and where it is located? Browse the items below, and get ready to be amazed.
Possession of a Primary Residence and Vehicle Keys
Think about how many times you use your keys every day. You never take them out of your hands because you can’t leave the house without them.
Your keys can be cleaned in a small basin of water and dish soap. Avoid rust by drying them completely. Use a disinfecting wipe to finish wiping the keys. Keep your keychains in mind!
Card Payments: Credit, Debit…
Lendedu found that the typical payment card is dirtier than a subway pole in New York City. In a word, disgusting.
Use a disinfecting wipe on your plastic cards or make the move to contactless payment methods like Apple Pay.
Wheels for Guiding
Which part of your car do you find yourself touching the most often? A helm controls the vehicle.
Steering wheels are four times dirtier than public toilet seats, according to CarRentals.com.
Be sure to regularly use disinfectant wipes to maintain a clean steering wheel.
You should also clean other frequently touched areas in your car, such as the radio screen and the gear shift knob.
Phones You spread germs every time you text or take a call, just by holding the device in your hand.
The best way to clean your phone is to take it out of its case and turn it off before using a disinfecting wipe. Keep your distance from the USB and headphone jacks.
Control Devices
How long has it been since you wiped down your TV remote?
It only takes a few channel changes for your remote control to become a breeding ground for germs.
Use a disinfecting wipe or a towel dampened with 70% isopropyl alcohol to wipe down each remote control.
Lighting controls; door handles
You probably don’t give much thought to opening doors or turning on lights; you just do it automatically. Switches and knobs on doors and light fixtures are common places for bacteria and other organisms to thrive.
Eliminating bacteria on these surfaces is as simple as cleaning them off with disinfectant wipes or spray.
Put It Below the Rim of the Toilet
You’re responsible for disinfecting the toilet seat and bowl. Do you also remove the bathroom jets from their dark, shallow location under the lip of the toilet bowl? Mold and mildew can flourish in this area if proper care is not taken.
Borax and vinegar can be combined to make a paste that can be applied to the rim and left on for a few hours. The next step is to use a fresh toilet brush to remove the debris, after which you can flush the toilet.
You probably wash your pillowcases every few weeks, but it’s also a good idea to give your pillows a wash once in a while.
You may get rid of the dry skin and dead skin cells that have accumulated on your pillows by washing them in the washing machine.
To find out how to clean your pillows effectively, consult the label.
Electronic Keyboards
Think about how many times you touch the keyboard in a day.
You can tell that your keyboard is dirty because dust and food particles have settled in the cracks between the keys.
To get rid of crumbs, spray the area with compressed air from a can. Use an isopropyl alcohol–drenched Q-tip to wipe down the keyboard keys.
Equipment for Cleaning
Whenever you use them, your broom, mop, and vacuum might reintroduce bacteria that can make your home unhealthier. Here are a few suggestions for maintaining the cleanliness of some of your most frequently employed cleaning tools:
Clean your dish rags by tossing them in the washing machine with a cup of bleach and a hot water cycle.
Put your broom into a pail of soapy water for 30 minutes to get it clean. You should wipe the bristles dry with a towel and then hang the broom head upside down in the shower to dry.
Soak the head of your string mop for 30 minutes in a bucket of water with half a cup of bleach to disinfect it. Let it dry in the air.
Machine-washable cleaning supplies should be washed separately from other loads.
You want your bra to last as long as possible, yet they may be pricey and fragile. However, you should still wash them to remove the sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells.
A bra may be used twice or three times before it needs to be washed, but it’s still best to have a couple on hand so you’re not stuck wearing the same one every day.
Cosmetics Applicator Tools
Would you knowingly put dirt, bacteria, and dead skin cells on your face? This is what happens when you apply makeup with a dirty brush.
Get into the habit of washing your makeup brushes once a week in warm water and baby shampoo.
Rugs for the BathroomThey are used every time you leave the shower.
The carpet may develop mildew if left wet for too long.
Bath mats that retain moisture should be washed once a week. For cleaning recommendations, please refer to the label attached to the rug.
Lights in the Ceiling
Dust tends to collect in places where ceiling fans are used frequently. You probably don’t want dust to be floating around your home.
Put a pillowcase over a fan blade and glide it across the blade, catching the dust as it falls into the case.
Ceiling fans don’t need to be cleaned frequently, but if you haven’t done so in a while, you should do so right away.
Patio Setups
When the weather is nice, we often congregate on the patio for meals and drinks. In the same way that nobody wants to sit on patio furniture that has been rained on or stained by birds and tiny critters, nobody wants to sit on patio furniture that has been neglected.
The best method for cleaning your patio set is going to be specific to the material it’s made out of.
Cover your outdoor furniture while it’s not in use and clean it every two weeks.
Ventilator for the Toilet
Your bathroom’s exhaust fan is one of the most important tools in the fight against mold.
Exhaust fans should have the housing, vent cover, and blades cleaned twice a year to keep them in good working order.
Ventilation System for the Kitchen
A grease accumulation inside the exhaust fan will reduce the fan’s effectiveness over time.
Maintaining a clean and functional kitchen exhaust fan is as simple as giving it a thorough cleaning once a year.
System for Cooling Air
Is it warm inside when you switch on the air conditioner? It’s possible that the air conditioner is obstructed by garbage, grass, etc.
Having a professional clean your air conditioner once a year will greatly improve its efficiency.
Damage from splatters and spills in the microwave can make it seem old and smell foul.
Put some water and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl and mix them up.
Put the bowl in the microwave and heat it for 5-10 minutes, depending on how much time you have.
After the allotted time has passed, remove the bowl from the oven carefully with oven mitts.
To finish, wipe off the microwave’s interior and door with a damp microfiber towel.
If you want a spotless microwave, follow these instructions once a week.
Every week, disinfect your toothbrush by dipping it in an alcohol-based mouthwash.
Brushes should be replaced every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are worn out, as per CDC guidelines.
Shower Curtain, Plastic
Shower curtains are often thrown out when they start to look worn, but they can be kept clean and mold- and mildew-free by washing them once a month in hot water with half a cup of vinegar.
Earphones, including Apple’s AirPods
When earwax accumulates, it might distort the sound coming from your headphones or AirPods.
Toothpicks can be used to remove ear wax.
Fun Stuff for the Family Pet
Although we like our furry friends, it’s important to keep in mind that the toys they play with may have germs.
Cloths and stuffed toys should be washed in a garment bag in the washing machine.
To clean plastic and rubber toys, soak them in a mixture of vinegar and water. When washing, covering the holes with tape can help prevent mold from growing.
Showerhead
Showerheads that have been stained by hard water don’t look very nice.
You can clean your showerhead by putting some vinegar in a tiny Ziploc bag and tying it around the showerhead.
After 20 minutes with the showerhead submerged in the bag of vinegar, remove the showerhead and rinse it under running water to remove the vinegar.
Sofa \sFabric couches are comfy, but they stain readily and can start to appear worn out.
You may find care instructions for your sofa by looking at the tags.
Clean your couch once or twice a year.
Aquatic Equipment
At the touch of a button, your water dispenser delivers ice-cold water straight to your glass.
To clean your water dispenser’s exterior, simply use a towel dampened with vinegar to wipe down the various components.
For information on how to take apart your refrigerator’s water dispenser for a thorough cleaning, consult the handbook that came with your unit.
Espresso Machine
Half of the coffee maker reservoirs examined by NSF International were contaminated with mold or yeast. How revolting!
Use soapy water to clean your coffee maker’s removable parts after each use.
Once a month, give your coffee machine a thorough cleaning by running a cycle with equal parts water and vinegar.
There will always be something that has to be cleaned, no matter what you do. so don’t worry yourself silly about it. Put your focus on maintaining the health of you and your loved ones, and stop worrying about everything else.
