The recent rise in temperature means spring is officially here. After a cold, rainy winter, it feels like a breath of much-needed fresh air, and I'm all here for it. The arrival of spring also means many of us will be cracking out the rubber gloves, feather dusters and scrubbing brushes to give our homes a much-needed clean.
Whilst it feels good to have a clean, fresh house, there are always a couple of areas that don't get as much attention. With this in mind, I spoke to the experts at Oven Rescue who revealed five places that might be just as dirty as your toilet. You definitely won't want to skip cleaning these.
Before you find out more, check out our 2024 guide to spring cleaning for more inspiration.
1. Kitchen cloths
Many people think that cleaning cloths aren’t dirty because they’re used with anti-bacterial cleaners and disinfectants. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Kitchen cloths are one of the biggest germ spots because they're often not thought of as such, so usually aren’t regularly washed.
Many people think that leaving them to sit in disinfectant is enough, but that won’t kill all germs. The best way to remove germs is to put the cloth in a hot wash, otherwise you may be simply wiping harmful bacteria around your kitchen without knowing.
2. Hand towels
Hand towels may be there to dry clean hands, but they’re not always clean to begin with. Hand towels provide the ideal environment for germs as they generally stay damp for long periods, and very rarely dry out completely.
What’s more, research also shows that just 16% of people wash their hands correctly, meaning all the leftover germs from their hands are wiped all over your clean hand towel. These germs could be anything we pick up day-to-day, from the common flu virus to norovirus .
3. Oven door handles
Your oven door might not be the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about the dirtiest place in your home, but your oven door is one of the biggest culprits.
Germs from food, such as uncooked meat, fish, and even unwashed vegetables can multiply on your oven door’s handle. When preparing food, it can be so easy to forget to wash your hands, or not wash them properly when in a hurry, and touch the door handle to open it without thinking. However, by not washing your hands, bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter can spread to anywhere you touch.
Unlike work surfaces, oven door handles are rarely cleaned. This bacteria can then work its way onto everything we touch from there, including our cooked food.
Interested in more? Find out why you should never leave your toothbrush in the bathroom.
