Did you know that most bacteria inside your home isn’t on the floor or inside the trash can? It’s actually your kitchen sponge. In fact, the University of Arizona found so much bacteria on kitchen sponges they could be over 200,000 times nastier than toilet seats.
Thankfully, a 2002 study has found that routine home cleaning is often sufficient to keep our living spaces clean. Combine that with good personal hygiene, regularly wash our hands, and we can protect ourselves from germs, bacteria, and illnesses.
Home hygiene products have been designed specifically for keeping the living areas, food prep areas, bedrooms, and bathrooms comfortable and clean.
But even the cleanest homes need a good deep clean now and then. And regular cleaning is even more important after the COVID-19 pandemic. So with that in mind, here are some home hygiene information and tips for making your house even cleaner.
Kitchen
Studies have shown that the kitchen is typically one of the most problematic areas in our homes. Practically every kitchen surface is ground zero when it comes to harbouring bacteria and transferring infections, and a study in 2020 detected live coronavirus on plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours.
According to studies in 2008 and 2011 kitchens are often more heavily contaminated than bathrooms, with the highest concentrations of bacteria found in and around the sink area. Thankfully they also reported that regular cleaning with common household products significantly reduced the levels of bacteria.
That means you should wipe down all kitchen surfaces regularly, including the counter, table, stove, and microwave, disinfecting as necessary. Always wash dishes immediately after use, store all food in sealed containers, and make sure the bin lid is always closed.
Living Areas
Carpet can hold up to 8 times its own weight in dust, which is comparatively more dirt than an average city street. It is very easy for these particles of dust and dirt to be dispersed into the air, potentially causing illness if inhaled. Plus food debris in carpet is very attractive to insects, rodents, and other pests.
By far the best option for carpets is to have them steam cleaned regularly and shake out your rugs as well. Vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, wiping, and mopping are also important for keeping all your living spaces hygienic and clean. You may also be able to use an air purifier may capture any infected droplets from elsewhere in the home.
Bedrooms
According to a 2013 study, microbial dust found in beds and bedrooms may influence asthma, atopy, rhinitis, and other allergies in both children and adults. Not only do these little dust mites lay eggs and generate waste, but they also reduce air quality and cause irritation whether you’re allergic to them or not. Add in some of your hair and plenty of dead skin, and it becomes a disgusting allergen-filled combo that makes me want to change my sheets and clean my room right now.
Thankfully by regularly sweeping or vacuuming your bedroom floor helps keep them free from dust mites and other debris. And steam clean them regularly to clear out bacteria. You should also declutter the bedroom closet to reduce places for dust and mites. Start with any clothes you haven’t worn lately and bag them all for donating. While you’re at it, you may as well do a big spring clean. Take out any old electronics, broken furniture, old toys, and whatever else to the garage and arrange for, Cheapest Load Of Rubbish removal Sydney.
Bathroom
Mould and other microorganisms can multiply rapidly and thrive in moist environments like bathrooms, which can cause many health problems. Also, a 1975 study showed that both bacteria and viruses remained inside the toilet bowl after flushing, and even after continual flushing. These droplets from flushing toilets which contain both bacteria and viruses, often remain airborne long enough to settle on bathroom surfaces and cause infection. In fact, a 1990 study showed that coliform faecal matter can typically survive around 24 hours on bathroom surfaces, or even as long as 36 hours.
Thankfully, studies have shown that regular use of household cleaning products and disinfectants can be used effectively to reduce contamination. But the most important aspects of good bathroom hygiene are always closing the toilet lid before flushing and washing your hands correctly afterwards.
Dust & Declutter
The quickest and most effective method of dusting each room to go from top to bottom and left to right. Start dusting from the highest spot of each room, like the top of cabinets or shelves, and work your way from the left across the room to the right. That way you won’t accidentally knock dust anywhere you’ve already cleaned and it will also ensure you don’t miss anything. Don’t forget to dust the top of all the furniture, picture frames, televisions, knick-knacks, and all handrails.
While you’re dusting, it’s a good idea to clear out any clutter. Either find somewhere else to have it, put it into storage, or organise rubbish removal for any stuff you no longer want. Not only will clearing out visible clutter make cleaning your home easier, but seeing all that extra space and tidy surfaces can also help increase motivation levels for keeping your house clean.
Personal Items
Don’t forget to clean your personal items with disinfectant wipes as well. This is because out of 22 homes surveyed in a 2011 NSF study, staph was present on all of the following items:
- Pet toys
- Refrigerator handles
- Toothbrush holders
- Remote controls
- Video game controllers
- Pens
The NSF also found mould, yeast, and faecal, contamination present on these items:
- keyboards
- video game controllers
- remote controls
- bottom of purses
- iPods
- mobile phones
- lunch boxes
- wallets
- keys
Things To Remember
Don’t forget that you can also bring bacteria, germs, and viruses into your home on your shoes, clothes, and smartphone. This is why the most effective method of protecting our families from illnesses and viruses is good personal hygiene combined with good home hygiene practices. So regularly wipe down anywhere your fingers touch and always wash your hands, especially after going to the toilet and before eating food.
