Hidden threat: 7 unexpectedly dirty places in your home
'22.09.2017'
ForumDaily Woman
No, this is not the toilet rim, which advertises. Strangely enough, this place may turn out to be one of the most clean in the house or apartment. And here are several other sources of bacterial microflora, which you had no idea, can cause, if not illness, then at least a decrease in immunity. We will find them and how to clean them!
1. Gadgets
Mobile phones constantly come into contact with our faces, particles of skin and hair fall on them, there are traces of sweat and even ear secretions, human saliva (by the way, there are more bacteria in the mouth than in the entire toilet) and other unpleasant traces of human contact. All this “cocktail” willingly breeds and multiplies on the surfaces of phones and buttons of other gadgets.
- What to do? Wipe with antibacterial wipes every day - all surfaces of the phone, buttons on the keyboard of a computer or laptop, tablet screen and remote controls from TVs or air conditioners. The keyboard can and should be vacuumed with a special device that can be bought in online stores.
2. Kitchen sponges and boards
More than once, doctors have said that a sponge is one of the dirtiest and healthiest items in the house. The fact is that the bacteria that fall on the sponge from the hands and from the dirty dishes, in which the decay has already begun, vigorously multiply in a moist environment. Never leave even a washed and wrung out sponge on a dish or cutting board that you will use. The board is literally teeming with bacteria, because fish is cut in it, meat is washed and it is not always wiped with high quality. Particularly dangerous wooden boards.
- What to do? Change the sponge as often as possible. Daily wash it thoroughly. Some housewives process the sponge in the microwave for 1 minutes (always wet, and the sponge should not contain metal). As for the boards, there should be several of them - for different types of products. Boards should be washed after each use, wipe dry and put in a ventilated place.
3. Kitchen and bath towels
Regardless of whether you wipe the already washed dishes, your hands or the whole body, use the dryer or hang them on the radiator, the towel remains wet and heated for a long time. And these are ideal conditions for the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria. In this regard, the rules proposed above for sponges apply to all kinds of towels.
- What to do? Use paper hand towels, dishes and kitchen surfaces. If this is not possible, washing and changing kitchen towels should be done every 2-3 day. Wash your accessories with your family and wash them at high temperatures once a week and change them at least this time.
4. Linens
A cozy bed, quite clean in appearance - what could be nicer ... So the bacteria with fungi that live in your bed think so. They are just waiting for you to find yourself in their power under the cover of night. Well, maybe everything is not so scary - nevertheless, bed linen is really quickly soaked with sweat of our skin and hair, it comes in contact with skin scales, saliva and other secretions. Therefore, bacteria multiply easily in it.
- What to do? We have already written that bed linen - and it is scientifically proven! - It is recommended to change at least once a week. And if you live in a warm climate, do it even more often.
5. Toothbrushes
It would seem, only not here! Wash the brush at least twice a day - and it is located in the bathroom, where it is clean and light. However, as we have said, the oral cavity contains more bacteria than under the rim of a toilet bowl, about 100 of millions of different pathogens live on our teeth, gums and tongue. Some of them fall on a toothbrush, which due to humidity creates suitable conditions for infection.
- What to do? Rinse the brush thoroughly with hot water, not only after brushing your teeth, but also before the procedure. Do not use cases and covers. It is best to put the cleaned brush in a glass, where it can drain liquid, and the bristles will easily dry out.
6. Kids toys
Kids eagerly cover their favorite toys with saliva, cuddle with them, chew and kiss. As a result, such a toy made of plastic, silicone or rubber becomes a source of potential danger for the child himself. Soft toys very quickly become covered with dust, which the baby inhales.
- What to do? Toys that have a smooth surface, it is best to simply wash with baby detergent, or wipe with antibacterial baby wipes without alcohol and fragrances. It is advisable to cover soft toys with covers if the baby does not use them for a long time, and also to vacuum and wipe with a damp sponge once a week.
7. Fitness equipment, dumbbells, yoga mats
It's great that you have your own gym at home - especially if you are not lazy and really work out in it. The only problem is that most of us do not care for sports equipment at all. Whereas dumbbells, exercise equipment and yoga mats are easily “overgrown” with bacteria from our body, which actively multiply.
- What to do? Change all these things once a month is not necessary. It is enough to wipe them with antibacterial wipes or paper towels sprinkled with an antiseptic - this should be done both before and after exercise. During class, try not to touch the face, mouth and eyes.
