We’ve all done our Spring clean – or at least we planned to. But while your home may look spick and span at first glance it may be harbouring grime and germs where you may not expect it.
It goes without saying that you regularly scrub your worktops, vacuum your floors, and wipe down the hob. But there are area you may be neglecting without realising.
According to GoodHouseKeeping parts of your home from the kitchen sink, the bathroom taps, to your toothbrush could be a breeding ground for bacteria.
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We previously reported how cleaning experts believe that we aren’t washing our bedding often enough. You can read more about how and when to clean your bedding here.
We also shared a baking soda hack that could help you to life stains from your floors and fabric. Find out more here.
The eight grimiest places in your home:
Laptops, computers and other electronics
The pandemic has brought a rise in the number of people working from home. You use your computer for hours every single day but how often do you clean it?
If you’re honest its likely the answer is very rarely so maybe its time to give them a good wipe down. A study by tech firm, CBT Nuggets found keyboards in their offices contained 20,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
If you’re a pet lover, that number could be even higher. To clean computer and laptop keyboards, use a finely woven microfibre cloth sprayed very lightly with antibacterial surface cleaner, working gently over the surface of the keys and around them. A cotton bud may also be handy for getting between the keys.
The kitchen sink
It may make sense that the kitchen sink would make the list given that we wash your dirty dishes, dirty hands, and some people leave foods such as meat to defrost there. Additionally, food debris left in the sink can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
Ideally, you should clean your sink after every use, especially if you’ve prepared raw meat, but the experts say it should be done at least twice a week to remove all traces of bacteria.
To clean it you should use a multi-purpose disinfectant, such as Zoflora, or cream cleaner, and pay particular attention to the germ hotspots around the plug hole and taps, rinse and dry.
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Bathroom and kitchen taps
Taps on bathroom basins and kitchen sinks are frequently touched throughout the day – often when our hands are at their dirtiest. You should tackle limescale first as it can act as a magnet for germs, using white vinegar and an old toothbrush. Rinse then polish the taps using a microfibre cloth and disinfectant.
Make sure you give them a quick spray and a wipe down every day or two even if you’re not doing a full bathroom clean, this will help keep germs at bay.
Kitchen sponges and dishcloths
Kitchen sponges and dishcloths are used to wipe and clean up spills but they quickly absorb all the bacteria around them. If you continue to use them then you could be spreading germs.
Simply throw them in the washing machine on the hottest temperature to rid them fully of bacteria. Conveniently, you can also throw cleaning cloths and sponges into the dishwasher on a hot setting to banish bacteria.
Toothbrushes
Toothbrush bristles can be one of the germiest places and can transfer those germs into your mouth every time you use it, but there’s also the possibility that airborne bacteria from the toilet will land on the rush every time you flush.
Wash your toothbrush thoroughly with hot water after use. You can also sanitise bristles by leaving toothbrush heads in mouthwash for up to 15 minutes.
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Bathroom towels
Left to dry in humid bathrooms, our damp towels can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Ideally, they should be air-dried quickly after each use.
Wash bath towels after every 3-4 uses, check the care label and wash on the hottest allowable temperature with a biological detergent to help destroy bacteria.
Pet beds
All pet owners know how mucky and smelly your pets can quickly become so its no surprise their beds are a haven for bacteria. Studies have discovered dirt, pollen, dead skin cells, faecal matter and hundreds of germ varieties in pet bedding.
You should regularly run bedding through the washing machine on its own at the highest temperature recommended in the care instructions to zap germs and allow it to dry thoroughly. Between washes, give it a regular vacuum using the upholstery tool on your vacuum cleaner to remove debris and hair.
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