For the typical person, they clean once a week whenever they have time and then they never think about it for the rest of the week. They scrub the bathroom, mop the kitchen, dust the living room and their home is clean for the next week. However, there are certain areas of the home that you rarely clean but probably should. According to science, germs and bacteria accumulate at different paces, therefore while the living room may be spotless, items in the bathroom may still be filled with germs. These are ten things you should probably clean immediately!

Kitchen Sponge

At least once a week, soak your kitchen sponge in a bleach solution and microwave the sponge for two minutes; this will destroy 99% of the bacteria on the sponge. We never think about cleaning our kitchen sponges, however, if you keep your sponges for more than a week then they are filled with germs and bacteria. The microwave solves this problem and it only takes two minutes!

Bathroom Mat

Scientists claim that outside of the toilet, the bathroom floor is the most unclean place in a bathroom. Bathroom mats which are often soaked with water which creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Wash your bathroom mats in the washing machine at least once a week to ensure that you’re not living in a bacteria mansion!

Laundry Basket

When it comes to cleaning, the laundry basket is one of the dirtiest items that rarely gets cleaned. All week, the laundry basket is home to your dirty clothes but people rarely associate the laundry basket with germs and bacteria. To be safe, simply wipe the laundry basket once a week with any disinfectant.

Contact Lenses

Scientists claim that even with good cleaning solutions, 80% of all contact lenses are filled with germs and bacteria. The only solution according to scientists is to throw the lenses out monthly. A more convenient solution scientists offer is to soak the contact lenses in near-boiling water at least once a week, this will remove the bacteria temporarily.

Keys

We’ll be the first to admit, we have never even thought about the germs that could go on your keys but scientists claim that at least once a month, we should be cleaning our keys. The good news is that most keys are made of brass which works as an antibacterial material. Scientists say that wiping your keys with a disinfectant will eliminate any germs.

Water Bottle

For those of us who like to always think about the environment, reusable water bottles are the way to go! However, reusable water bottles are also the home to E. coli and other bacteria that we are constantly trying to escape. To ensure that your water bottle is clean, please soak in a bleach solution weekly. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the bottle!

Coffee Maker (Drip)

A lot of people assume that the coffee maker gets hot enough to kill all bacteria however this is only a myth. There are a lot of internal pipes in the coffee maker that never get clean. Experts tell us that in order to make sure we’re drinking clean coffee, run white vinegar and water through the machine at least once a month. This will kill bacteria, mold, and anything else in the pipes.

Headphones

For most people, they use headphones just as much as they use their mattress; eight hours per day. However, our headphones are a breeding ground for germs and they rarely get cleaned. Researchers say, wipe your headphones weekly with a vinegar-based solution and it should be fine to pump all those great tunes!

TV Remote

A study based in a hospital found that television remotes were 3x dirtier than anything else in the room. Television remotes are perfect for bacteria and germs that come from our hands and this item rarely gets cleaned. Wipe down the television remote with a disinfectant before your daily episode of Modern Family and you should be fine.

Gym Bags

Experts recommend that we wash our gym bags just as frequently as we wash the clothes in the gym bag to ensure that we’re not carrying bacteria and germs with us throughout the week. Not only should you wash the bag in the washing machine, but you should wipe down your gym bag daily with a disinfectant. Who knows what has been on those floors that you rest the bag on throughout the day.This two-step solution will help make your home cleaner and your immune system stronger!

Looking for tips on how to have the right decluttering plan in place and how to practice kitchen and cooking safety measures to ensure a healthy, happy home? We got you covered, please check out The Ultimate Guide on Kitchen Organization!