How to: clean those places where germs lurk

You may keep a neat and tidy house but when it comes to germs, many of us overlook the biggest culprits. Here’s how to rid your home of hidden germs:

Take on your Toothbrush: The very thing you use to keep your mouth clean is full of the bacteria that naturally occurs in our mouths. Store your toothbrush upright and let is dry between uses and keep toothbrushes from touching others, to avoid spreading germs from brush to brush. Don’t share a toothbrush- even with your spouse! Sanitize your toothbrush weekly by soaking it overnight in a 50-50 mix of water and hydrogen peroxide. You might decide to do it on the day you change your sheets or clean the bathroom. Replace your toothbrush every 2-3 months.

Zap your Sponge. Put your sponge in the dishwasher every time you run it and then weekly give it a 2- minute zap in the microwave, which will kill any bacteria, parasite, or virus living in your sponge. Make sure to wet the sponge and then wring it out before microwaving it. Replace your sponge once a month or consider switching to microfiber cloths that can be washed in the washing machine.

Clean your technology It seems technology is becoming like another human appendage. We’re always connected to a phone, computer or some other piece of technology. They go with us wherever we go. But unlike our favorite jeans, coffee cup or dog, they don’t get tossed in the wash.  Some experts say that mobile phones are far dirtier than a toilet handle, and office keyboards are far filthier than office restrooms. It’s the handling, and sharing, of phones and the food crumbs, and fingers, on our keyboards that create the filth. Filthy with what? Staphylococcus aureus, e.coli, and other creepy bacteria. Eew.

Cellphones I like to use Clorox Disinfecting wipes or a soft cloth dipped in a 60/40 mixture of water and alcohol. It cleans the phone and kill bacteria. If you still have a landline, make sure to give that a wipe, too.

Computer keyboard: To avoid damage, the first step is to turn it off and disconnect the keyboard. Flip the keyboard over and shake it. Dust and crumbs will fall out. You can use compressed air to remove anything that a gentle shake won’t. I like CyberClean. It’s a glob of gooey stuff you can press in to your keyboard to grab crumbs and dust. You can also use a Q-tip and isopropyl alcohol to clean around each key. To disinfect, use a disinfecting wipe like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. These will kill germs for a couple of days, so you might try to make a swipe with a wipe a regular part of your routine.

Show germs the door! Doorknobs are some of the germiest places in any home. Make it a point to regularly walk through the house and disenfect each knob (inside and outside of the door) with a disinfecting wipe or a bucket of hot water and a disinfecting cleaner.