Even if your home smells of bleach and passes the white-glove test, reading the next few paragraphs may inspire you to jump into a giant vat of antibacterial gel. That’s because no matter how clean you think you are, germs are everywhere. EVERYWHERE! In the washing machine, buried in the mattress, lurking on the salt and pepper shakers. Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona’s Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, and the co-author of The Germ Freak’s Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu: Guerilla Tactics to Keep Yourself Healthy at Home, at Work and in the World, shares the 6 germiest places in the home (in no specific order):
• Washing Machines – Ninety-five percent of Americans use cold-water washes at an average wash cycle of around 12 minutes when they do their laundry. Short washes in cold water might remove some germs from clothing, but many germs remain hidden in the machine to contaminate the next unwitting batch of clothes or linens. If you’re a cold-water washer, switch sides and wash most loads in hot water. For undergarments, use bleach to ensure cleanliness.
• Carpets and Rugs – Carpets in most homes are 4,000 times dirtier than toilet seats. Think about it: you walk around outside through dirt, mud and grass; on concrete and through spills, water puddles and other liquids, and those are only a few examples. You track soil and germs from your shoes onto carpets and rugs all the time. You can protect against this proactively by taking your shoes off when you walk inside. Expensive vacuums with UV-light technology are also good options for keeping carpets clean.
• Salt and Pepper Shakers – Really, how often do you wash your salt and pepper shakers? According to a University of Virginia study that tested places sick people touched in the home over an 18-hour period, salt and pepper shakers returned stunning results, securing a spot as one of the most highly concentrated areas for lingering viruses. Send salt and pepper shakers through the wash after meals or wipe their surfaces with disinfecting wipes to avoid spreading more germs.
• Kitchen Sink – With more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain alone, your kitchen sink is dirtier than most bathrooms. Raw fruits and vegetables and other food items carry salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter and other pathogenic bacteria. Once you’ve prepared your food, make sure to clean all surfaces on and around the sink with an antibacterial cleanser.
• Beds – Whether we’re sleeping, eating or having sex, what we do in our beds is our own business – or is it? Germs are in the know, too, and the bed is one of their favorite places to congregate. Water-repellent mattress and pillow covers can help block out bacteria. Washing sheets (with hot water, remember) once a week can go a long way in making sure you’re not sharing your bedroom with millions of uninvited guests.
• Refrigerator – Anywhere there’s food, there’s bound to be bacteria. Raw fruits and vegetables come with bacteria, which can live in every corner of your refrigerator. To combat these nasty germs, try to wipe the fridge down once a week, and deep clean once a month. Toss out spoiled food whenever you come across it.
