10 Filthy Surfaces in Your Home to Sanitize Right Away
Even the cleanest homes have hidden treasure troves of bacteria and germs. It's almost unavoidable. The key to finding them is to think about areas you and your family members typically touch with your hands -- though not all of the items on our list meet that criteria. Here's our list of 10 likely filthy surfaces in your home we recommend you sanitize during your next deep (or general) cleaning.
1. Game Controllers
As we already said: Items you touch with your hands are automatically going to harbor more bacteria. To properly sanitize gaming controllers, simply use an alcohol swab. (We recommend wiping down with a damp rag after to remove any remaining alcohol to avoid potentially bleaching out the controller's color).
2. Remote Controls
Remote controls are some of the most germ-infested items hanging out in your living room. In fact, more people are likely to touch the remote control than the game controller. Clean your remotes the same way you clean your gaming controllers.
3. Light Switches
Especially in the bathrooms and main living areas, your lightswitches likely need a proper sanitizing. Simply spray with an antibacterial agent, let sit for 3-5 minutes, then wipe away with a clean rag.
4. Door Handles
Sanitizing door handles on a regular basis is a great way to help prevent the spread of bacteria in your home. Follow the same steps for sanitizing as #3.
5. Cell Phones
Cell phones are especially gross because we hold them to our faces. Use an alcohol swab to remove bacteria from your phone at least twice per week.
6. Oven Knobs
The temperature control knobs on your oven are quite possibly crawling with bacteria. It can be easy to touch raw meat such as bacon or chicken and then touch those knobs without really thinking about it. Most knobs come off of the oven. Every once in awhile, take them off and wash them with soap and water. Spray sanitizer on the surface while they are removed, let sit 3-5 minutes, wipe, then put the knobs back in place.
7. Drawer and Cabinet Handles
For the same reason as oven knobs, your kitchen (and bathrooms) cabinet/drawer handles can get pretty dirty. Use a sanitizing agent once per week to stay on top of bacteria found there.
8. Kitchen Sink
Your kitchen sink is possibly one of the most germ-infested surfaces in your home and should be properly sanitized daily for safety. It's important to sanitize it immediately if you've been cooking with raw meat.
9. Children's Toys
Toys are pretty gross, and the majority of people aren't sanitizing them at all. It's never a bad idea to wash stuffed animals on occasion, and soak other toys in a bleach/water mixture (be sure it won't harm the toy in any way to do so).
10. Toilet Base
Most people are pretty good about keeping the inside of the toilet bowl clean, but it's important to sanitize the entire surface of the toilet -- even the base. Spray sanitizer over the entire surface of the toilet, then begin wiping down 3-5 minutes later with a clean rag. Start with the handle, then the back of the toilet, making your way down until you scrub under the bowl and the base. You can use an old toothbrush to get into the finer nooks and crannies and where the base meets the floor. Be sure to give the floor behind the toilet a good sanitizing every so often, too.
As always, make sure you are using a safe and appropriate cleaning agent for the surface you are cleaning. Proper sanitization can and will go a long way in keeping your family safe and healthy.
Koality Home Kleaning is a professional cleaning service based out of Layton, Utah and servicing a 40 mile radius of Salt Lake City, Utah. We offer residential and commercial cleaning services, including: basic and deep cleans, move in/out cleans, Airbnb/vrbo rental turnovers, basic janitorial services, and construction cleanup. We can be reached by calling or texting 385-243-8708. You can find a complete list of our services here.