Top 10 Dirtiest Spots In Your Home… And Only One Is In the Bathroom!
If you think that your bathroom is one of the dirtiest spots in your home, think again. Although one area of the bathroom makes the top 10 list of dirtiest places in your home, the kitchen is by far the worst breeding ground for germs.
The top 10 list is the result of testing done by NSF International, a global independent public health and environmental organization that provides standards development, product certification, testing, auditing, education and risk management services for public health and the environment. Here are the results of their investigation.
#1 – Kitchen sponge – ranked the dirtiest spot in the house. In fact, more than 75 percent of sponges and kitchen rags tested by the NSF had coliform bacteria on them. Yikes! NSF recommends cleaning sponges every day by putting them in the microwave for two minutes, or putting sponges in the dishwasher for thorough cleaning. Replacing sponges every two weeks is also recommended.
#2 – Kitchen sink – 45 percent of the kitchen sinks tested by the NSF had potentially harmful coliform bacteria. Solution: disinfect the sink 1-2 times a week and pour a teaspoon of bleach with a quart of water down the drain to clean it.
#3 – Toothbrush – 27 percent of toothbrush holders tested had coliform bacteria and 14 percent had Staph. Solution: Clean your toothbrush thoroughly after use and put your toothbrush holder in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning.
#4 – Pet food dish – well, this should come as no surprise. Pet food dishes should be washed daily either by hand or in the dishwasher. Fido deserves a clean dish, too!
#5 – Coffee maker – this may come as a surprise to many, but the water reservoirs in coffee makers are breeding grounds for yeast and mold. Half of the coffee makers tested by the NSF had yeast and mold present. Solution: clean your coffee maker by running a cycle with white vinegar.
#6 – Kitchen faucet handles – OK, we’re back in the kitchen again. When you think of all the things your hands touch before you touch the faucet handles, it’s no surprise they contain coliform bacteria as well as yeast and/or mold. Solution: be sure to clean the faucet handles at the same time you clean the sink.
#7 – Pet toys – again, no surprise. Pet toys can hide coliform bacteria, house yeast, mold, and Staph bacteria. Solution: wash pet toys either by hand or in the washing machine.
#8 – Kitchen counter tops – like kitchen sinks, counter tops can be breeding grounds for coliform bacteria. Bacteria can deposit from food and all those other things that end up on top of the counter. Solution: clean, clean, clean countertops thoroughly every day.
#9 – Stove knobs – here’s one most people don’t think about. Stove knobs, and any other knob in the house that comes in contact with hands, is one of the top 10 places to find germs. So, clean them all thoroughly.
#10 – Cutting boards – 18 percent of cutting boards tested by the NSF contained coliform bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella). Solution: Wash them thoroughly, especially wood cutting boards. And wash them in between cutting meat and other foods.
Source: AffordableHealthInsurance.org
