The ‘invisibles’ sharing space with you at home

You could be dusting and mopping your house clean, with the satisfaction of a germ-free home. But, this is not germ-proof enough. Germs are lurking in familiar places in your home, where you spend many hours -like the kitchen or your work table, or for that matter the beds, where you could be spending blissful hours, unaware of bugs sharing space with you.

There are innumerous bugs under your very nose, that can be extremely harmful for your health, and we will tell you the hot spots of these dangerous creatures.

Spot the bugs

Kitchen

Your kitchen table is wiped clean with a kitchen sponge. The sponge which may look deceptively clean to your eye is actually a comfortable spot for thousands of bacteria numbered at 134,000 bacteria per square inch, according to a survey conducted by the manufacturer of Lysol, Reckitt Benckiser. Using the sponge to wipe many dishes leaves room for a variety of germs causing cross contamination.

If you are maximizing the use of the sponge letting it last for weeks, you are actually playing with your family’s health. Many of the kitchen sponges contained germs that could cause severe diarrhea and stomach pain.

Ideally the kitchen sponge should be replaced every week. If that is not possible, then the sponge can be soaked in bleach solution for half an hour to make it germ free.

The kitchen sink becomes a cool haven for lethal germs - studies have shown that kitchen drains have close to 500,000 bacteria per square inch. Leftover food on dishes or plates gets contaminated and bacteria simply multiply.

The kitchen faucets are no better being home to about 13,000 bugs per square inch. Shockingly, fecal bacteria are present more in the kitchen than the toilets.

Kitchen sanitizers or even bleach is the best bet which can be used on the sink and left to soak for at least 10 minutes before it is washed clean. Kitchen faucets should be cleaned with a disinfectant spray everyday.

Bathroom

Each time you clasp the bathroom faucet, you are in touch with about 6000 germs per square inch.  The germ attack does not end here, it’s just the beginning.

The toilet bowl is home to more than 3.2 million bacteria per square inch. Infact, the bacteria attaches itself to the toilet and forms a slimy layer. It would take only the powerful cleaning agent chlorine and water to spotlessly clean and oust the germs.

Bathtub – It is wonderful to enjoy a bubble bath and while you are doing so many thousands of bacteria are actually having a field day close to the drain of the bath tub - about 120,000 bacteria per square inch.  Bat tubs need to be cleaned with chlorine and water often and this is the only way they can be germ free.

Bedroom

Without our knowledge, all our bedroom stories may have some mute witnesses – bugs. Beds, mattresses, duvets and pillows soak in sweat, excretions and secretions. Dust mites simply adore our beds from which they get unlimited food. Need we look further for the cause of many allergic conditions?

Use bedcovers and change them as often as possible. Wash them in hot water. Dust the beds and mattresses regularly.

Work-table

The keyboard, mouse, phone, and the work-table are a hot bed for germs more so because people tend to grab a bite on their working tables.  Disinfectant must be used at least once a week on these surfaces to keep them clean.

Wet laundry

Germs can get transferred from one clothing to another in the washing machine. If the clothes are dried under the sunlight or in the dryer of a washing machine, the heat with actually kills the germs. Further it is always better to have a separate wash cycle for the children’s clothes.

We need to create an ‘unhealthy’ atmosphere for germs so that we remain healthy. They just hate the words – cleanliness and hygiene. Let us know of any more suggestions to keep homes as germ free as possible.

By,

Savitha Muppala