You Missed a Spot!
Imagine this, you just finished deep cleaning the house. The appliances are sparkling, your floors are shining, those vacuum lines are to die for and that aroma coming from your young living diffuser just screams CLEAN. But what if I told you, you missed a spot!
Ignorance is bliss, right? I couldn’t believe how many times I thought I cleaned and disinfected my home and did not realize that what I would clean every once in a while I should have been cleaning a-lot more often. These surfaces that I had neglected to clean were actually breeding grounds for bacteria in our home and posed a health hazard to my family.
I am going to list 10 surprising surfaces of your home that you may overlook just as I once did. Some of these areas could actually be the cause of those weird symptoms you may have experienced and had no idea why. Hidden bacteria and mold in the most un-thought of places are the cause of many ailments, so roll up your sleeves grab your Thieves cleaner, and lets bust those germs.
1. Your Shoes
I know I sound like a broken record but you should never wear shoes in your home. Research has shown that shoes can track in a host of organisms that wreak havoc on your digestive system.
When it rains sewers back up, human and animal feces along with other bodily fluids can overflow onto streets and sidewalks. YUCK! Think 400,000-plus bacteria strains per shoe, including E-Coli!
Let’s not forget about all of the chemicals your shoes pick up when you walk over grass that has been treated with fertilizer and/or weed killer; as well as traces of gasoline and antifreeze on the roads and driveways. Scientists state that prolonged contact with chemicals like these are harmful and truly a health hazard to our household.
2. Your Refrigerator
This is probably one of the biggest bacteria breeding grounds in your home. Our refrigerators should be cleaned on a weekly basis and any new groceries we buy especially gallons of milk or any drink cartons should be disinfected, especially the bottoms of them. Another option would be to put them into your own reusable containers and glass jugs/pitchers.
Milk spills and fresh meat are the leading cause of bacteria spreading and spoiling our food that can leave us with gastrointestinal distress. One way to contain the leaking “meat juices” is to place your meats into a bowl or deep container to defrost.
Cleaning all of the refrigerators compartments at least once a month is important but every day I do my best to keep up with wiping up spills and throwing away decaying moldy and expired foods.
3. Bath Mats and Shower Curtains/Liners
Many people including my self would tend to forget about washing bath mats, shower curtains and shower liners. Little do we know if we are not washing them at least once a week we are allowing mold to grow, dust to collect, dust mites to accumulate and bacteria to flourish.
I personally prefer not to have any bath rugs in the bathrooms to avoid the collection of dust and bad aimed urine. The only reason why I have at least one bath mat and that’s in my children’s bathroom is for safety purposes so they don’t slip and fall coming out of the shower. For our bathroom my husband and I have always laid a small towel on the floor for when we get out of the shower.
I recently just replaced our shower liners because I wasn’t sure if they were PEVA (Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate). The best liners are ones that are BPA free and state that they are PEVA they are a safer alternative to the cancer causing PVC liners shower liners are commonly made up of.
If you’re like me and enjoy hot showers its time to rethink your shower liners. With heat and steam - plastic expands releasing harmful and toxic chemicals into the air we breathe. I ordered my shower liners from amazon, they were safe and inexpensive.
4. Shower Heads
Experts conducted a study at the University of Colorado by taking 50 shower heads from nine different cities in the U.S. They found that nearly 1/3 of them harbored high levels of bacteria called Mycobacterium Avium. This type of bacteria leads to life threatening bacterial infections.
The bacteria levels from the shower heads were 100 times greater than those found in household water alone. This bacteria is something that’s known to cause lung infections when swallowed or inhaled, and has also been linked to pulmonary disease and symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness or a persistent cough (Lord knows that’s the last thing we need these days).
To clean your shower heads mix a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water (you'll need about 1 cup), and pour it into a plastic bag. Put the plastic bag around the showerhead so the holes are immersed in the liquid, and secure the bag to the shaft with a twist tie.
5. Carpets
When carpets have obvious stains and visible crumbs it is easy to recognize that you have to vacuum and wash them, but what about those new spotless rugs?
Brand new carpets are the most hazardous to your health they are a major source of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), where highly toxic carcinogens such as formaldehyde are found.
It has been definitively linked to throat and nose cancer, and known to cause chronic inflammation of airways and the throat that can potentially lead to dangerous infections, frequent nose bleeds, asthma and other respiratory problems according to the U.S. Governments National Toxicology Program.
Studies have shown that the risks are greater in infants, as well as the elderly and those who have a compromised immune system. So the best thing to do with a new rug is to wash them and air them out for at least 12-24 hours.
A carpet that’s been in the home for any amount of time, even if it appears to be flawless it hides dirt, dander, bacteria, and other irritants. I highly recommend investing in a carpet cleaner for washing your rugs and make washing your carpets part of your weekly cleaning routine.
6. Vacuum Cleaners
Who thinks to clean a vacuum, right? If your vacuum does not have a HEPA filter you could be putting you and your family at risk for a host of bacteria and microbes that can sneak into your system, triggering allergies and having negative effects on your breathing.
The dust in our vacuums contain antibiotic-resistant genes that may result in lung damage over time. So your vacuum should be a HEPA vacuum and you should wash out the canister once or twice a month. The brush bar of the vacuum should also be taken apart and cleaned out. If there is a woman in the house, cleaning the brush bar is very important because that's where you will find all of their hair. You can pretty much make a wig out of all of the hair you’ll find rolled onto that brush.
7. Central Air System
Changing the air filters once a year is a no brainer but what happens when dust and mold are found in the systems pipes? Experts say that if your central air systems pipes are contaminated with mold it’s important to remove the debris as soon as possible to avoid serious health issues.
Having it maintained every 2-3 years will also help avoid the accumulation of dust that causes allergies, frequent coughing and eye problems such as infections and dry eyes.
8. Small Kitchen Appliances
Can openers, Blenders, Coffee Makers, Microwaves and Hand Mixers that we occasionally use and don’t think to wash and sanitize have been scientifically proven to have high amounts of microorganisms such as E-Coli and Salmonella.
It is best to take apart these small appliances, wash and sanitize every part, after every use to avoid getting anyone sick.
After using my hand mixer and removing the balloon whisks, I will take my thieves spray, cleaning cloth and just give a good wipe down.
As for my electric can opener I will remove the piercing lever and throw that piece in the dish washer and just wipe down the rest of the can opener.
I find blenders to be the easiest of them all because I typically just throw everything but the motor into the dishwasher and just wipe down and disinfect the motor.
Most newer coffee makers will have a sensor that alerts you to clean them and they “self clean” (each coffee maker is different). I like to be sure after every use I throw away any pod or filter with grinds and give it a good wipe down so mold or mildew doesn’t build up. Every week or so I will let it run with just water and vinegar to clean out the reserve, brew basket and dispenser.
The microwave is another easy small appliance to neglect. If you don’t have a microwave food cover, food can splatter around in the microwave and if we don’t clean it right away bacteria grows. Wiping down your microwave (including the exterior and handle) after each use can help you to stop a bacterial breeding ground in its tracks.
9. Trash and Recycle Barrels
I dread cleaning these because they are not just “one” of the worst germ pits, they ARE the #1 germ pits of your home. The bottoms of the barrels and the trim rings are the dirtiest. If it’s nice out I will take them outside, spray them with Thieves spray to disinfect them and let the spray set for 10 minutes. After the ten minutes are up I will sprinkle some dish soap in and all around them to wash them out with the hose and let them air dry upside down.
10. Washing Machines
My old washer didn’t have a self clean option like my new one does so I would throw in 3-4 cups of vinegar with 1 cup of baking soda on the largest and hottest setting and let it run. You should always do this after 40 loads and you will be surprised at the fact that the musty rotten egg smell will disappear. I try my best to switch the loads as soon as it is done because the longer you leave the clothes the easier it is for that smell to appear especially in the warmer months.
Stay tuned to our YouTube channel because I will be posting some videos of before and after cleaning these 10 Bacteria Hidden Surfaces within the next few days.
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