If someone asked you what the dirtiest items in your house are you would probably think first of the toilet brush or the spaghetti mop. You would be partially right – they are other items in your house that could be just as if not even dirtier. Here are seven of them and how to clean them. 

The Dirty 7- Must Clean Household items

Cutting Boards

Germs love cutting boards. And contrary to what you may think, the plastic ones are actually worse than the wooden ones. To keep these items hygienic you should wipe them with bleach or salt water and white vinegar every day before you pack them away. Another little known trick it to put them outside in direct sunlight. This works really well with wooden boards. Germs hate sunlight and fresh air and nothing takes care of a wooden chopping board better than letting it dry out completely in the sun.

Tooth Brush Holders

Eew, eew, eew! This is another gross factor. But think about it. You use your tooth brush (which we hope you wash in boiling water daily already) to get the bacteria out of your mouth. Then the water drips off of it into a little container that stays wet (and usually in the dark) all the time. Just take a look inside it if you don’t believe us. Grossed out? Good! Now to clean it you should rinse it in boiling water or bleach every few days, and then DRY it!

The Coffee Machine

It’s dark, it’s moist, it’s warm. It’s the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and what’s more is that most of us chuck out the old grounds and throw in the new ones without ever cleaning the machine! Your entire coffee machine needs to be taken apart daily – clean your coffee machine exactly like any other dish or appliance, every single day! And you should make sure that it has time to properly dry every day as well. 

Stove Knobs

Another favorite place for bacteria to thrive. Food gets stuck inside them, your hands touch them while covered in food and no-one ever thinks of cleaning them. Next time you are cleaning the kitchen remember to wipe down the knobs with rubbing alcohol or bleach. 

Your Mouse and Keyboard

You touch them hundreds of times a day. Sometimes when you’re eating, sometimes when you have just walked through the door and sometimes when you are picking your nose (we know you do it, everyone does) but when did you last clean it? That’s right. Those little cracks and buttons are just teeming with germs! To clean them you should first unplug or turn them off. Then use rubbing alcohol or diluted white vinegar (just a little) on a soft cloth to clean  them. Lastly take your hairdryer and blast out all that caught up dust between the keys.

Salt and Pepper Shakers

These guys are two more items that get a lot of traffic and very little cleaning, especially because they are used at a time when people are touching their mouths and food. And they are so easy to clean if you just remember to do it! Just wipe and blow dry carefully. 

The House Phone

Or any phone, really, is a thing that you (and others) touch with your hands and hold to your face. You breathe right into it, and so does everyone else who uses it. All those little holes and buttons are wonderful hiding places for bacteria. To clean them you should wipe them with rubbing alcohol and in the case of small buttons, blow with your hairdryer.

Now that you are thoroughly grossed out, have fun cleaning all those little things in your home. But don’t let it freak you out too much, a little dirt and grime is good for building a healthy immune system after all!