Rid Your House of Germs

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Think about everything you and others in your home touch. Doorknobs, the refrigerator door, table and counter tops, knobs on the faucet, the remote control and you can’t forget your sheets and pillow. Face it – everything, at some point, gets touched. Unfortunately, if the areas are not properly cleaned the germs will continue to spread. Germs live on surfaces and spread because of skin contact. You may not know this, but the flu virus can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. The question of how often you should disinfect your house depends on the exposed areas and how frequently they come in contact with people.

When it comes to cleanliness and germs, you may think you’re covered or perhaps you don’t. Either way it’s important to educate yourself and get familiar with the basic dos and don’ts of de-germing.

The Kitchen

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Did you know that the kitchen sink contains 100,000 times more germs than your toilet? Food gets trapped in your sink or drain causing dangerous organisms like salmonella and E. coli to form. One to two times a week, mix one tablespoon of bleach and one quart of water to clean your sink, faucet and basin. When you’re finished scrubbing the sink pour the solution down the drain to clean that as well.

Garbage cans should be scrubbed once a week with a diluted solution of bleach and water. And don’t forget the sponges. You should clean sponges once every three to five days because of the bacteria that they harbor. If you use dish towels make sure they also get washed in hot water because bacteria can thrive in the damp dense woven material.

The Bathroom

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Considering you do most of your self-maintenance in the bathroom, surprising to know that a great deal of germs are harbored in the bathroom. Once a week you should use a disinfecting cleaner on your bath tub. Weekly cleaning will help to alleviate soap scum that is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Towels should be washed weekly and floors should also be sanitized on a weekly basis. It’s important to clean your toilet once or twice a week because germs will predominately be found there. Always lower the lid before flushing so nothing can splatter out.

Bathrooms are where most personal hygiene items are stored. Keep toothbrushes and other hygienic items in a container or a drawer. If you leave them out on the counter they’re most susceptible to germs that explode into the air when flushing.