We’re all familiar with the usual suspects when it comes to the dirtiest spots in our homes, we certainly don’t scrub the toilet for the fun of it. However, experts have revealed there are some surprising items in our homes that could potentially be much dirtier than our toilet seats – and we might not be cleaning them enough.
Whether you know how to deep clean your house or not, often the dirtiest items in your home are commonly falling under the radar when it comes to the weekly or even monthly house cleaning routines.
Some of these items gather so much germs and bacteria that the interior experts at Online Bedrooms have recommended we should be cleaning them daily.
So what are these bacteria-boosting items and what can we do to keep them clean?
Experts reveal the dirtiest items in your home
1. TV remotes
When doing our weekly clean of the living room it can be too easy to rush around and forget to clean the smaller objects in the room. TV remotes are handled multiple times a day by everyone in your home which makes them the perfect place for bacteria to collect.
Should you need to clean a living room fast, then consciously wiping down your remotes at the end of the day could lessen your load when doing a big clean in a time crunch. Just make sure to get your disinfectant wipes into the button crevices too!
(Image credit: Getty Images | Christina Reichl Photography)
2. Light Switches
Much like remotes our light switches are touched numerous times a day by numerous different hands so it’s no surprise they’re ground zero for germs. Light switches may more often than not be neglected from your cleans, after all, they don’t really collect much dust.
However, during a weekly clean, it’s a good idea to disinfect all the switches in the house with a disinfectant wipe or cloth.
3. Lamp Shades
Lamp shades are not only guilty of collecting lots of dirt and dust but they can also pose a fire risk warn the experts at Online Bedrooms. It can be quite a difficult job cleaning all our lampshades properly with their differing materials and shapes. For this very reason, we’ve put together a guide for how to clean lampshades that will make the whole process that whole lot easier!
(Image credit: Getty Images)
4. Oven gloves
Normally when we tackle cleaning our kitchen our main concern is how to clean an oven quickly and easily, and not so much the smaller things like oven gloves. But it turns out they can get quite filthy very quickly!
Throwing in your oven gloves and tea towels with your weekly washes will get rid of any grease and grime that may have accumulated from handling oven trays. This will also stop any bacteria from lingering and contaminating your meals.
5. Wardrobes
This space might take you by surprise but wardrobes are one of the most common spots in the house that are overlooked when cleaning. Most of us will certainly make sure to dust the outside of the furniture and polish any mirrors attached but the insides are usually neglected.
Wardrobes can collect a lot of dust and dirt from our clothes and shoes, which is why the interior experts recommend cleaning the ground and back wall of your wardrobes when you can. There’s no need to do it weekly but it definitely should be on your spring cleaning small spaces list!
6. Shower Mats
Even though they’re mainly used when we’re at our cleanest, bath mats can quickly collect dirt and bacteria from daily use. If you know how often you should wash your towels then your bath mat can be thrown in with them too.
Should you start to smell damp in your bathroom then there’s a good chance it’s your bath mat needing a clean, so it’s best to keep on top of it to keep the smells away too!
(Image credit: Getty Images)
7. Coasters
Another unsuspecting item that, although used daily, is normally not given the cleaning attention it needs.
“A wipe of a coaster to get rid of the ring leftover from a glass isn’t enough to keep it clean,” warns Nic Shacklock, an interior expert at Online Bedrooms. “You’ll need to give it a proper scrub every month to clean any bacteria that gets pushed down from glasses being on top of the surface.”
Although they do need a monthly scrub, simply wiping down your coasters after every use is still a good daily habit to keep your house clean and tidy.
8. Extractor Fans
Much like our oven gloves, extractor fans tend to build up layer upon layer of grease over time when we’re cooking each day. To prevent any nasty germs from lingering and to keep your fan functioning at its best, simply wipe it down every couple of weeks.
Cleaning grease off our kitchenware can be a real pain which is why we’ve put together our favourite expert cleaning hacks for kitchens to help you. Whether you’re looking at cleaning an oven with baking soda, how to clean oven trays or how to clean a stovetop, the right methods and tools can make all the difference.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
9. Door Handles
Door handles, much like our remotes and light switches, are one of the most frequently touched items in our homes. Because of this, added attention needs to be given to them to incorporate them into every household clean.
Giving door handles a wipe with disinfectant weekly can rid your handles of any harmful outdoor germs and bacteria.
