We all know keeping your home clean is a must in order to keep you and your family healthy, but do you know which places in the home are truly the dirtiest? Here is a list of the five places that are regularly full of germs that may make your family sick.

1. Kitchen Cloths and Sponges

Most of us believe that we keep a pretty clean kitchen and probably the last place you would expect to be full of germs. The truth is people frequently use sponges or cloths to wipe dirt from surfaces in the kitchen. As a result, 70 percent of kitchen sponges in U.S. homes failed the hygiene test by having high levels of bacteria, according to the Hygiene Council. The council recommends running sponges through the dishwasher regularly and washing kitchen cloths on the hot cycle in the washing machine. Unless you are using a disinfectant wipe or spray you are not really killing any kind of harmful germs, you are just spreading them around on the surface with an even dirtier sponge! Best advice is to ditch the sponge and use a new washcloth each time you do dishes.

2. Pet Food Dish

Most pet food dishes stay on the floor and do not get washed regularly. When was the last time you washed your pets bowl? We wash out plates and bowl regularly, be kind to your pet and yourself, wash them more often. Fewer germs will be able to grow and you are less likely to become sick. Always wash your hands after handling pet containers and food bowls.

3. Microwave Touch Screen

This spot is notorious for not getting cleaned. Anytime that you put raw or frozen food into the microwave to be heated you have to use the touch pad. Even though the food comes out cooked, the germs that can make you sick are left on the outside of the microwave for the next person to touch. It is important to wipe down the touch screen regularly, especially after cooking or handling raw meat. This applies to any touch screen including cell phones and tablets, they are all a good host for germs!

4. TV Remote

Imagine yourself watching TV while being absent-minded, chewing your fingernails, snacking on food and flipping through channels. You are continuously adding and exposing yourself to germs via your TV remote. The larger your family the more germs that are likely to be added and spread, thanks to your remote. Make sure to sanitize the remote controls in your home regularly to prevent sickness.

5. Light Switches

Touching the light switch is practically unavoidable, but keeping it clean is not. The bathroom light switch can have as many germs as the trash bin. Disinfect light switches twice a week or every day if a member of your household is sick. Remember it is not only in your home that you are likely to be using light switches, but at work too. You can drastically cut down on your amount of exposure just by keeping your own home clean!

We all know that it is necessary to clean our homes on a regular basis, but it is easy to miss some of the dirtiest places in our homes. Next time you are on a cleaning spree be sure to take extra time and care with these five places in your home in order to enjoy a happy and healthy family!

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