If you think your bathroom houses most of the
bad germs, think again.
Ask most people and
they’ll probably tell you that the bathroom is the germiest place in the house.
While the bathroom does have its hot spots — more on those later — it’s
the kitchen that we really have to worry about, according to a
study by NSF International, a global public health and safety
organization.
The NSF swabbed 30
common items in people’s homes and came up with a list of hot spots. “Warm,
moist places are breeding grounds for germs,” says Rob Donofrio, Ph.D.,
Director of NSF International’s Applied Research Center. So what are the top
spots? And how do you combat them? We’ll count down from number 10.
10. Cutting boards
You cut veggies,
meat, fish, and more on them, and as a result, germs can fester. 18% of cutting
boards tested by the NSF had Coliform bacteria present — the family of bacteria
that includes E. coli and Salmonella. Yuck!
Clean It: Use cutting boards
made from nonporous materials, says Dr. Donofrio. Wood cutting boards should be
made from a hardwood, such as maple. “If possible, have a separate cutting
board for raw meats to prevent the spread of bacteria to other foods,” he says.
Because cutting boards may come into contact with many different foods, always
wash them between use. Either place them in the dishwasher after each use or
hand wash with hot soapy water. Debra Johnson, spends a lot of time teaching
people to clean as the training manager for Merry Maids. For wood cutting
boards she suggests using salt, white vinegar, or lemon juice, which are
all good at getting into the cracks and cleaning below the surface, then
rinsing with hot, soapy water.
9. Stove knobs
“While not a place
that many of us think about, stove knobs are one of the top 10 common places
for germs to hide in our homes,” says Dr. Donofrio. It’s no wonder — food can
splatter as we cook, and sometimes as we cook, we forget to wash or wipe our
hands.
Clean It: Remove the
knobs, wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse well. “Hot water and dishwashing
soap go a long way to getting rid of germs,” says Merry Maids’ Johnson.”Often
times that’s all you need.”
8. Kitchen countertops
Think about
everything you put on your kitchen counter: raw meat, unwashed produce, grocery
bags, even your handbag — the bottom of which is laden with germs. According to
NSF’s findings, countertops had coliform bacteria present in 30% of the homes
tested.
Clean It: There are all kinds
of countertops. Smooth, non-porous materials tend to harbor fewer germs. No
matter what kind of countertop you have, make sure you wash your countertops
once daily with hot, soapy water. Once a month you can also use a solution of
one part bleach mixed with four parts water. If you have a special countertop
made of marble, granite, or another specialty material, use the manufacturer’s
recommended cleaning/sanitizing agent.
7. Pet toys
Pet toys can not only
have coliform bacteria on them, they can also house yeast, mold, and Staph
bacteria, none of which are healthy for you or your pet.
Clean It: First off, you and
your family should always wash hands after playing with a pet. Toys made of
rubber and plastic can be cleaned with hot water and dish soap once a week or
once every few weeks. As for toys made of fabric, Johnson suggests throwing
them in the washing machine and washing in hot water every couple of weeks.
6. Faucet handles
“We go to the sink to
wash our hands, especially when cooking and have all kinds of residue on
hands.” says Johnson. According to NSF’s findings, faucet handles in both the
kitchen and bath contained coliform bacteria as well as yeast and/or
mold.
Clean It: “When you clean the
sink, clean the faucet handles, too, and while you’re at it, clean the
refrigerator handle,” says Johnson. “I’m all about frequency.” Says the NSF’s
Donofrio, you can also clean with disinfecting cleaner or disinfecting wipes.
5. Coffee maker
You use it all the
time and always wash the pot, so what’s the problem? The water reservoir. 50%
of coffee makers tested by the NSF had yeast and mold present.
Clean It: “Water leaves a
residue and when it sits, it can breed bacteria,” says Johnson. “Whenever you
use your coffeemaker, be sure to wipe the water reservoir with a paper towel.
Once a week or so it’s a good idea to flush it out with white vinegar. Add up
to 4 cups undiluted vinegar to the reservoir, letting it stand for 30 minutes,
then running the vinegar through the coffee maker. After you do that, run 2-3
cycles of fresh water through the machine until the vinegar smell is gone. Most
manufacturers recommend cleaning every 40-80 brew cycles or at least monthly.
4. Pet food dish
Your feed your pet
and often the food just sits in the dish for hours. It can be a breeding ground
for germs, and not great for your pet’s health.
Clean It: “Pet dishes
should be washed every day, either in the dishwasher or scrubbed by hand with
hot soapy water, then rinsed, says Dr. Donofrio. If you are washing by hand,
Dr. Donofrio suggests placing the dish in a 1:50 bleach rinse (1 cap
bleach in 1 gallon water) and soak the dish for about 10 minutes once a week.
Then rinse it thoroughly.
3. Toothbrush holder
“You try to rinse your toothbrush well after
you brush your teeth, but gunk always ends up dripping off of it into the
holder,” says Johnson. The NSF found that 27% of toothbrush holders they tested
had coliform bacteria and 14% had Staph.
Clean It: “You can wash
your toothbrush holder in the dishwasher once or twice a week,” says Cheryl
Luptowski, a home safety expert at the NSF. Or wash it with soap and warm water
and wipe it with a disinfecting wipe once or twice a week.
2. Kitchen sink
“Think about what we
put in the sink,” says Johnson of the Merry Maids. “We put food scraps in
there, and there’s dirt and bacteria from things we wash off like potatoes and
other vegetables.” People also use their kitchen sinks to wash other household
items, she says. It’s no wonder that 45% of the kitchen sinks tested by the NSF
had potentially harmful coliform bacteria.
Clean it: Wash your sink once
or twice a week with a disinfecting cleaning,” says the NSF’s Luptowski. “You
can also sanitize the drain and disposal by pouring a solution of one teaspoon
of bleach mixed with one quart of water, down the drain.”
1. Kitchen sponge
If you didn’t know it
already, the single germiest item in your home is your average kitchen sponge.
The NSF found that more than 75% of sponges and kitchen rags they tested had
coliform bacteria on them. The problem with sponges is that we use them to wipe
up everything, don’t always clean them, and moisture stays inside them, which
creates an environment for bacteria to grow.
Clean It: Your sponge
needs to be cleaned and sanitized daily. Place it in the microwave daily for
two minutes so the heat can zap the bacteria. Alternatively, pop your sponge
into the dishwasher when you are doing a load. Even so, the NSF recommends
replacing your sponge every two weeks or so. And instead of using a sponge,
consider using a microfiber cloth says Johnson, “Microfiber is designed to grab
dirt and absorb liquids, and then you can just throw it in the washing machine
and dryer,” she says.
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