Warning! Revealing the list of 5 household items that accumulate “disease-causing” bacteria but are rarely washed.
When it comes to the dirtiest places in the house. The bathroom and toilet are probably the first things that come to mind for many people. However, compared to the toilet, there are some items in the house that are easy to overlook when cleaning. But they contain a lot of dirt and are prone to breeding bacteria that can affect health.
These items contain large amounts of bacteria and fungi that can be harmful to your health. Some are up to 20 times dirtier than your toilet.
1. TV remote control
TV remotes are one of the household items that are rarely cleaned, but people touch them multiple times every day. *TV remotes are often dropped on the สมัคร ufabet floor. Thrown on chairs, contaminated by coughing or sneezing, and most TV remotes with gaps between the buttons are not clean at all.
In a 2020 study by UK-based sofa and carpet experts ScS, researchers analysed a variety of household items, including TV remotes, bin lids, carpets and toilet seats. They found that TV remotes were 20 times dirtier than toilets and were more susceptible to mould, bacteria and yeast.
Research has found that television remotes have the dirtiest levels ever tested. With levels of 290 units of bacteria and yeast per square centimetre, including a “hard” type of mould. By comparison, toilet seats had just 12.4 units per square centimetre, and only a “benign” type of mould.
2. Shower curtain
Shower curtains are a great breeding ground for mould, as they are often trapped in damp environments. Mould can be allergens, irritants and sometimes toxic. According to the NHS, if your home is damp and has mould. You are more likely to develop breathing problems, respiratory infections, allergies or asthma. Dampness and mould can also affect your body’s immune system.
A 2021 study by American company Safe Home scanned items in three bathrooms in a home for the presence of potentially harmful microbes. It found that shower curtains had 60 times more bacteria than toilet seats.
So if your shower curtain is made of fabric. You should wash it once a month. And if it is made of plastic, you should clean it every 2-3 months.
3. Dolls
Many people have the habit of hugging their teddy bear to sleep and often keep their teddy bear with them for a long time. However, not everyone cleans their teddy bear regularly.
A study published in the journal Infection and Immunity in December 2013 found that 80% of stuffed animals in daycare centers tested positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae. A leading cause of ear infections in children, respiratory tract infections, and morbidity and mortality in children and the elderly, and a common cause of hospital-acquired infections.
Therefore, you should clean your teddy bear once a month by putting it in a mesh bag and putting it in the washing machine to clean it. Then drying it in the sun. Also, avoid washing it on humid days because it can create conditions for bacteria to grow stronger.
4. Spice jar
People may clean their kitchen counters regularly, but they often forget about spice jars. We use spices like salt and pepper multiple times a day, and if we forget to wash our hands before touching the jars, bacteria can easily stick to the jars and spread.
In a 2008 study, researchers from the University of Virginia asked 30 adults who were beginning to develop cold symptoms to name 10 places they had been in their homes in the previous 18 hours. They found that about 40% of the objects tested had the virus on their surfaces, and all of the salt and pepper shakers that tested were positive for the cold virus.
Therefore, spice bottles should be cleaned once a week to reduce bacterial growth.
5. Broom
Brooms can harbor a large number of bacteria and other microbes, especially when used frequently and not cleaned properly. Bacteria can build up from dirt, debris, and other contaminants that the broom comes into contact with every day.
If the broom is not cleaned regularly, bacteria or mold on the broom can spread throughout the house when the broom is used to clean other things.