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You would be surprised to find out what the four dirtiest areas in your house are. Find out where they are and learn how to clean them below.
Knobs, Handles and Switches
Doorknobs, handles and switches are the most often overlooked items when one cleans. And it’s one of the places in the house where a lot of hand contact happens – think of light switches, doorknobs, refrigerator handles, microwave, toaster and oven handles, and even the toilet flusher! These are the most touched areas in the home if you think about it, and the spreading of germs happens quickly when these are not cleaned.
How to Clean:
- Integrate cleaning knobs, handles and switches into your daily cleaning plan, using hospital grade disinfectant wipes or a small cloth dampened with cleaning product.
- Advise household members to practice proper hand washing to prevent further spread of germs and virus.
Shower, Bathtub
The bathtub shower environment is moist, making it an ideal place for the formation of mold and proliferation of bacteria.
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) researchers even found staphylococci bacteria in most domestic homes. To prevent bacterial growth, the shower and bathtub surfaces should be thoroughly dried after each use. You can leave a window open or turn on the bathroom exhaust fan to help dry the surfaces after using it.
How to Clean:
- Disinfect surfaces regularly, up to three times a week, daily if you have several members in the household using it.
- Clean your shower with bleach solution at least once a week.
Don’t forget to include your shower curtain during cleaning – give it a wash in the washing machine using hot water with detergent and bleach once every two weeks.
Carpets and Rugs
Here’s a little trivia for you: even the top-of-the-line vacuum cleaners can’t fully clean your carpets and rugs because they don’t really reach the bottom of the rug fibers where the bacteria, dust mites, allergens, dead skin cells and if you have pets, pet dander, are found. Even the best everyday vacuum cleaners can’t clean them thoroughly so professional cleaning services are a must. Have your carpets professionally steamed using hot water extraction method every 18 months. High-traffic areas might need more frequent attention.
How to Clean:
In between professional cleaning and everyday cleaning, here are some ways to keep your carpets and rugs clean:
- Remove shoes before entering your home.
- Vacuum twice a week, more often in high-traffic areas. Make sure to pay attention to baseboards and hard to reach corners as well.
- Treat spots and stains immediately by using a damp cloth and carpet cleaning solution.
Your Kitchen Sink and the Kitchen Sponge
You might be surprised to learn that your kitchen sink might even be dirtier than your toilet post-flush! Like the bathtub, kitchen sinks have a moist environment. Add leftover food particles and you have a great breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
And the only thing dirtier than your kitchen sink is the one you clean and soap your dishes with – the kitchen sponge! NSF found 75% of homes tested positive for salmonella, E. Coli and fecal matter on sponges, with bacterial growth happening after three weeks of use. Remember, bacteria wouldn’t only stay in the sponge. It transfers to every surface you wipe it with!
How to Clean:
- Remove all leftover food particles immediately; don’t let them linger.
- Wash daily with soap and water; disinfect with kitchen clean weekly.
- Replace your sponge every two weeks.
- Microwave wet sponge for 2 minutes to kill germs.
We don’t want you to be obsessive with germs, but it helps to be aware of these spots so you can include them in your daily routine cleaning and prevent the spread of bacteria and infection. Avail of professional cleaning services in Sydney once a month to really deep clean your house, especially those hard to clean and reach areas.
About the Author:
Currently studying a Master’s Degree in Economics, Kale has a background working as a Business Intelligence Consultant. He is now the VP of Operations at HomeHello heading supply chain management, and essentially ensuring that their customers receive the very best experience they can get.
Kale Temple from HomeHello