Excellent home hygiene is an important part of staying healthy

You make your bed first thing in the morning, mop the floors, and dust down the furniture. That means your home is clean, right?

Not quite. Look around your house and pinpoint all the possible spots you’re missing (where germs and bacteria can lurk). It’s gross but true – there are lots of germs and bacteria living in our homes with us. Let’s find out how to keep our houses as clean as possible!

Quick Read:

Maintain a clean home to help your family stay as healthy as possible.
Kitchen sinks can harbour more bacteria than toilets; clean them daily with disinfectant.
Open the windows each day to bring in fresh air reduce indoor pollutants.

Bacteria and germs love these places!

The bathroom seems like an obvious choice – and it is. But wait, what about your kitchen tap? Or the sponge in the sink? Here’s a bit of a nauseating fact. According to the National Sanitation Foundation in the US, more than 75% of dish sponges and rags have traces of salmonella, E. coli, and faecal matter!

Also lurking with germs:

Kitchen counters
The sink
Fridge door
Washing machine door and handles
Light switches and knobs
Bathroom sink and toilet bowl (and the lid)
Coffee maker/toaster
Microwave handles
Taps in the bathroom
Toilet handle
Floor around the toilet
Your computer/cellphone

Think about it this way; any place in your home that you regularly touch is a thriving habitat for germs.

Don’t forget your bedroom

The bedroom also needs to be cleaned thoroughly and frequently. By this, we mean washing and changing the sheets and pillowcases, letting fresh air into the room, and wiping down the headboard and bedside cupboards.

Sweat, dead skin cells, and the general grime from our hair and skin transfer into our beds and pillows. Now you know why it’s so important to wash those sheets. What about your makeup and handbag? Think of how often your handbag touches outdoor surfaces or sits on a floor. Wipe it all down.

Did you know that household dust is mostly dead skin cells? All the more reason to vacuum or sweep regularly.

Fresh and clean

Now that we know germs exist almost everywhere, how to keep your home as clean as possible? First, let’s make peace with the fact that no home could be 100% germ-free. It’s simply impossible! But you can ensure your home hygiene is mostly sanitary.

When flushing the toilet, close the lid. This way, germs and bacteria don’t spread to the sink or items like your toothbrush.
Soak sponges and dishrags in bleach or vinegar at least once a week and throw them out after a few months.
Try not to jump on your bed and into the sheets wearing the clothes you’ve worn during the day. Take a shower and get into clean clothes before bed.
Wipe down counters with disinfectant (or a homemade mix of vinegar and lemon juice).
Don’t forget door knobs, taps, cupboard handles and mirrors (especially the bathroom mirror).
The inside of your microwave needs regular cleaning. Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice into a bowl of water and let it rotate inside for a few minutes to get rid of bad smells.
If you have a little bin indoors, give it a regular wipe with a disinfectant. Try not to keep refuse indoors for too long. Ants and other little insects might find it an inviting home.
Your shower is NOT self-cleaning! The walls, drain and showerhead need regular cleaning.
Same goes for the bathtub and of course, the toilet bowl, lid and floor areas.
Don’t walk around the house in the shoes you wore outdoors. Wipe and remove shoes at the door to avoid tracking outside dirt inside.