Washing your hands regularly is a must. Especially with the recent concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfection has been a hot topic. While washing your hands with hot water and soap is a good enough defence against pathogens and germs, what about all the other surfaces we touch on a regular basis that also need constant disinfection? It is particularly important to clean certain areas of your home that accumulate a lot of germs and microbes over time. You can add cleaning these hot germ spots around the house to your regular cleaning routine and ensure that your home is safe and healthy at all times.
We will list some of the most common places that collect germs and are regularly touched.
1. Door knobs – Entering and exiting the house, as well as all the rooms inside require opening many doors. We touch door knobs all the time and they are, in fact, one of the dirtiest places around the house. Not only because they are constantly touched by multiple people, but also because every time you enter your house from the outside world, you bring in a bunch of new germs that first get stuck to your front door handle. While washing them with soap and water would be efficient, alcohol-based disinfection wipes would work better for oddly-shaped objects, such as door knobs and handles. If you don’t have any antibacterial wipes at home, simply use rubbing alcohol and paper towels.
2. Faucets and sinks – Every time you wash your hands you touch the faucet handle. Prior to washing your hands, they are covered in germs and viruses that stick to the handle. To make sure faucets don’t become a source of infections, clean them on a daily basis. Use a brush to reach all nooks and crannies, and choose a bathroom cleaner that contains bleach. For a less toxic approach, you can also wipe them down with some rubbing alcohol or disinfectant wipes.
3. Light switches – Similar to door knobs, light switches are constantly touched by multiple people whenever a room is entered or exited, sometimes multiple times a day. Professionals in deep cleaning advises to use disinfectant wipes to clean your switches daily.
4. House and car keys – Again, these items have close contact with your hands and the outside world. If you keep them in your bag or pocket, the accumulation of germs will be even higher. When you get home, you probably leave your keys on a countertop or a table. Avoid doing that to prevent pathogens from spreading. It is best if you have a designated hook for your keys so they do not touch other objects around the house. Another tip is to clean them every time you get home, before hanging them. You can wash them in the sink with hot water and soap or spray them with a disinfectant spray or pure rubbing alcohol to reduce germs and microbes.
5. Phones – Your phone may not be visibly dirty. However, it is certainly covered in a large number of germs, microbes, body oils, and dead skin cells. If you use your phone a lot in public spaces, it is best to clean it once a day at least. Washing a phone with soap and water would not work well but you can use alcohol-based disinfection wipes to clean it. You can also get a 70% isopropyl alcohol spray and clean your screen with it. You should make sure you don’t get any moisture in your jacks, ports, and speaker openings.
6. Your office desk – Whether you work from home or in an office, your office desk is probably the place you spend the most time during the day. If the surface of your desk is covered in paperwork or other items, you will probably not even notice how dirty it has become. Always start by decluttering. Remove rubbish and unnecessary items that ended up on your desk. Remove your computer screen/laptop and all other office supplies you have there. Wipe your whole desk, remove spills and stains if there are some, and finish off by spraying it with rubbing alcohol. If your desk is wooden, make sure you choose a cleaner suitable for the material on hand. Before you return all items to their places, give them a quick wipe, dust them and spray them with a disinfectant spray as well. Make sure you clean your keyboard, mouse, and any other appliances you touch on a regular basis at least once a week.
7. TV/AC remote controls – Remote controls are useful gadgets that allow us to control our appliances without putting in a lot of effort. However, the number of germs they accumulate on a daily basis will surprise you. Remotes are constantly used by multiple people throughout the day and collect a number of different germs and microbes. They are also among the dirtiest objects in a household. Give them a good wiping with a disinfecting wipe twice a week. Make sure you reach all nooks and crannies (between the buttons, for example). You can use a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol to reach all of the small areas. Cleaning remotes daily will reduce the spreading of germs around the house.