Disgusting Places In Every Home: How To Clean Them

3/8/2016 (Permalink)

Even clean houses can have hidden dirty, moldy places

Even if you’re a neat and clean freak you may have hidden places in your home that are not so neat and clean. You may be surprised by where the most disgusting places in homes tend to be and how to make them shine.

Most Overlooked Disgusting Place 
In a 2015 survey conducted by cleaning services startup Handy, of its 500 top-ranked pros, 37 percent of them rated shower curtains as the most overlooked place in clients' homes. In rare cases, mold, mildew and soap scum buildup can cause serious infections. You can eliminate grime and germs on fabric, plastic, or vinyl curtains by "putting them in the washing machine along with a few towels to keep the curtain from wrinkling. Wash in warm water using a 1/2 cup bleach and 1/4 cup of laundry detergent. Then immediately hang dry the curtain.

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The First Place To Clean
Most people know the bathroom is the first place you want to keep clean. But did you know that in the bathroom one of the best things you can quickly do is wipe down the sink? That’s what Becky Rapinchuk, Clean Mama blogger and author of The Organically Clean Home, recommends. Try her inexpensive chemical-free disinfecting spray you can put together yourself:1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup vodka (for germ-killing properties), 10 drops lavender essential oil, 10 drops lemon essential oil and 1½ cups water (distilled or boiled and cooled). Spritz your sink and other areas. Come back in 10 minutes to rub down surfaces. If you have a pedestal sink wipe down the front and sides, all the way to the floor.

Toilet Parts Most People Miss
If you meticulously scrub the toilet bowl and toilet seat weekly and there's a lingering musty smell, the next order of business is to clean two parts you're likely missing: toilet seat hinges and the base of the bowl.

If you don't have a toilet seat with hinges that lift, you'll need a Phillips-head screwdriver to unscrew the hinges to remove the seat completely. Once that's done, spray the hinges and cover completely with disinfectant. If the hinges are smelly or stained, Becky Rapinchuk suggests sprinkling a bit of baking soda on the hinges and let that sit. That will take that odor away. Then rinse it and wipe it down.

To tackle another possible source of odor, spray the outside of the bowl and behind the toilet, let it sit and wipe up with a microfiber cloth (or paper towels if really grimy).

Toothbrush Holders Can Hold Millions Of Germs
This benign-seeming bathroom cup is one of the germiest spots in your house. Some experts say the average toothbrush holder has more than 2 million bacteria cells. Bamboo and wood may look attractive, but they're difficult to clean, so go with a dishwasher-safe material like brushed stainless steel, or plastic, and clean it once or twice a week.

Sponges Often Contain E. Coli
Sponges can be a breeding ground for bacteria. It's likely that the one near your sink contains E. coli and salmonella bacteria. A two-minute turn in the microwave can kill most of the viruses, parasites and spores that grow on sponges. Still you should change your sponges every two weeks or so.

Bathtub And Shower Bacteria
About one in four bathtubs and showers harbored the bacteria known as staphylococci. That bacteria can cause problems with superficial skin lesions and urinary tract infections.  Keep these germs at bay by using a mild shower spray daily. Do avoid abrasive cleaners.

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