2023-05-22 09:37:57
Some surfaces or objects are touched every day without your realizing it and yet they are teeming with bacteria.
For years you have been told that you can catch a cold just by touching a doorknob and you have probably guessed that these are among the top 10 objects. However, door handles, computer keyboards and your pet bowls are not among the top 5 objects in your home with the most bacteria. Although a dirty toilet seat is obvious, scientists have found that the average toilet seat carries only 100 bacteria per square centimeter. It sounds like a lot, but you will see that the following household items carry many times more bacteria per square centimeter.
The kitchen sponge: a bacteria bomb
Your kitchen sponge, with which you wash your dishes, is the most contaminated object you have at home. It carries 20 million bacteria per square centimeter or regarding 200,000 times more than your toilet seat, your kitchen sponge is a real hotel for 362 species of bacteria. In one study scientists analyzed 14 used sponges and found 45 billion microbes per square centimeter. Dishwashing sponges pick up the highest numbers of E. coli and other fecal bacteria in a regular home, because they aren’t replenished as they should. Many studies have confirmed that among other household utensils, kitchen sponges contain the highest number of bacteria. Kitchen sponges are also a source of contamination in restaurants. In one study researchers collected 201 sponges from restaurants and assessed the total number of aerobic bacteria. They succeeded in isolating Pseudomonas, bacilli, streptococci and lactobacilli and thus revealed insufficient hygiene practices concerning kitchen sponges.
Your mobile phone: a danger in your pocket
Microbiologists often think of mobile phones as Petri dishes because they generate heat, live in the darkness of your pockets, and often accompany you to the bathroom. Maybe you don’t think regarding it when you take your phone everywhere you go, from the dining table to your doctor’s office.
According to a study, adults check their phones nearly 47 times a day and thus offer many opportunities for microorganisms to move from hand to phone.
Currently research varies regarding the number of germs on a cell phone, but one study found more than 17,000 gene copies of bacteria on the phones of college students. Another study showed that the mobile phones of healthcare professionals are a veritable reservoir of pathogenic germs, because they are rarely cleaned and touched during or following examining patients.
To reduce the number of bacteria you carry on your phone, leave it outside the toilet and remember to wash your hands more often. You can also invest in a small ultraviolet light sanitizer to kill bacteria without heat or humidity.
How to clean your phone naturally
To clean your phone at home you don’t want to get it wet to avoid damaging it. Avoid window cleaners, compressed air, bleach, hydrogen peroxide or abrasive powders. Follow these steps once a week to thoroughly clean your phone and its case.
- Unplug the phone, remove all connections and turn it off. Remove the case or protective cover to clean it separately.
- Mix a 1:1 ratio of 70% isopropyl alcohol and distilled water in a small spray bottle.
- Spray it on a lint-free microfiber cloth. Never spray directly on the phone and do not wet the cloth too much so as not to damage the electronic components. Dry the front and back of the phone.
- If there are residues in small places such as around the connection holes, the buttons or the camera, use a dry cotton swab or a wooden toothpick and clean these areas gently.
- While the phone is air drying, clean the case. Both must be completely dry before inserting the phone.
Wash your vegetables in the sink yes.. but wash the sink followingwards
In a study conducted by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), researchers found that the kitchen sink contains the second highest concentration of microorganisms in the home.
In another study, researchers found over 1,000 colony forming units in the bathroom sink. According to the NSF it is important to clean and disinfect your sink once or twice a week and to disinfect the pipes and garbage chute once a month.
Start by removing soap dishes, carpets, rust and water stains by scrubbing with baking soda. You can destroy germs in your sink by pouring hot water and vinegar or vodka down the drain. White vinegar is made from acetic acid and is a powerful cleaner that attacks grease and removes mold and stains.
Antibacterial essential oils
Essential oils also have a wide range of medicinal properties as well as powerful antibacterial properties.
Certain essential oils added to the vodka in the spray bottle can also enhance the action on rust, mold and unpleasant odors.
In particular the essential oils Tee tree, citronella, lemongrass, orange and Patchouli help fight bacteria. Once a week fill your sink with hot water, vodka or vinegar, then quickly pull the valve out to flush your waste pipes.
The cutting board:
Cutting boards are another enemy when it comes to harvesting dangerous bacteria.
Experts recommend having at least two cutting boards, one for anything that is safe to eat raw, such as fruits and vegetables, and a second for cutting raw meat and fish. This avoids the transfer of bacteria. The surfaces you cut your food on can harbor bacteria including E. coli and salmonella. Since plastic cutting boards are easier to sterilize, you would think they are safer. Wood may be more difficult to sterilize, but it is more resistant to scratches. It is recommended that you clean your cutting board in warm, soapy water following each use and air dry before storing.
Remote controls: bacteria, fungi, and sataphylo on the program
Your remote control is also covered in bacteria, mold and staphylococcus aureus which can cause infections. And if you’re not cleaning your remotes, chances are your hotel isn’t either. An average of 67.7 colony-forming units of bacteria per square centimeter were found on remote controls in hotels, which is 13 times the acceptable level recommended for hospitals.
To clean your remote control and avoid damaging its electronic components, use the same method as for your telephone.
Homemade cleaners are more effective and safer
Non-toxic cleaners are more effective and safer than over-the-counter chemical products. Sprays, wipes and abrasives often add toxins to your home instead of removing them. These chemicals can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and in the long term they can damage the liver, kidneys and central nervous system. You can never know what kind of toxic chemicals are in over-the-counter cleaners because you don’t have to list all the chemicals on the label. Even products with a green, natural or organic label can contain dangerous pollutants.
As already mentioned above, certain essential oils have powerful antibacterial properties and add a pleasant fragrance to your arsenal of natural cleansers.
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