When you think of the dirtiest spots in your home, your mind probably jumps right to your toilet or the trash can. However, some of the filthiest places and items in your home may actually surprise you. Have you ever cleaned fruits or vegetables in your sink? Probably without a thought. Have you ever cleaned them in your toilet? Likely not. But the truth is that your kitchen sink can hold just as much, if not more bacteria than your toilet!
Thinking about it now, you’re probably not actually surprised that your kitchen sink could hold that many germs. We use it to wash dirty dishes, maybe to rinse raw meat even. And usually we give it a good rinse after and think nothing of it; however, we should be disinfecting our sinks the same way we disinfect our toilets! It is recommended that you disinfect your sink daily with a mixture of bleach and water.
Maybe this information didn’t come as much of a shock to you, but some of these other surprisingly germy items around your house might leave you running for the disinfectant!
1. Salt and Pepper Shakers
If you generally have your salt and pepper sitting out on the kitchen table then chances are good that they are covered in quite a lot of germs. One study in 2008 tested the surfaces of different items for viruses and 100% of the salt and pepper shakers tested positive for cold viruses! That’s a quick way to spread a nasty cold fast so be sure not to overlook the shakers when you’re cleaning (and disinfecting) the rest of the kitchen table.
2. Refrigerator Handle
The handles on your fridge can carry a lot of bacteria for two reasons. One, you probably don’t think to wash them too often. And two, you are usually handling food between opening and closing the doors to the fridge. In some cases, you may even handle raw meat and forget to wash your hands when you’re grabbing something quick from the fridge! Try to disinfect those handles at least once a week.
3. The Remote Control
To put it pretty simply, if an object is handled frequently, it is going to get dirty. This can be okay for some things that are on your radar and washed normally. However, things like the remote control are easily overlooked. It is likely handled many times every day by different people, it may be sneezed on or picked up by sticky fingers! Remember to give your remote a wipe with a disinfectant wipe every now and again – and as always, remember to regularly wash your hands!
If some of this information is leaving you a bit spooked by the unobtrusive objects of your house, just remember that the best way to avoid spreading germs further is to disinfect. That means all the surfaces in your house and your hands.
