Cleaning your house not only makes it a welcoming place to live, but also helps make it a safe place to live, protecting you and your family against illnesses caused by germs and bacteria.
So, while you’re cleaning, keep in mind these seven hot spots where germs and bacteria are most likely to hide out—and build up. And while the bathroom has its cleaning challenges, the kitchen, it turns out, is where you’ll find the highest germ concentrations.
- Kitchen sponges: Used to wipe up countertops and appliance surfaces, they hold moisture, creating an environment germs love to multiply in. Microwave sponges daily for two minutes to kill the germs.
- The kitchen sink: When you think about everything that ends up in the kitchen sink—hand washing residue, raw chicken and meats, food scraps—it’s no wonder it collects germs. Scrub the sink out twice weekly with a disinfectant cleaner.
- Kitchen counters: Like the kitchen sink, counters tend to harbor germs, bacteria, and molds. Wipe them down daily with a disinfectant cleaner.
- Stove knobs: We don’t often think to clean these, but after all that cooking, and all that handling, knobs can harbor bacteria, molds, and yeast. Wipe them down when you’re cleaning the sink and counters with disinfectant cleaner.
- Cutting boards: All that food prep can result in bacteria, mold, and yeast buildup. Clean them well after every use, either in the dishwasher or with hot, soapy water.
- The bathroom faucet: Because you turn the faucet on before you wash your hands, it tends to get germy quickly.
- Computer keyboards: Research shows that computer keyboards harbor a whole host of potentially harmful bacteria. Frequent hand washing, using warm running water and an antibacterial soap such as Safeguard®, can help keep germs from your hands—and from your keyboard.