7 Tips to Keep Your House Sparkling Clean ...

Although most women make the effort to clean the countertops and kitchen sink thoroughly, most of the times they depend on water to do the trick. Water does not eliminate the germs hanging around in the sink’s drain or the rags, sponges, towels, and scrubbers you use. What you need to do is clean your counters and the sink every day with an anti-bacterial cleaner and twice a week with a solution of bleach and water.

Chopping boards, unknown to you, are the best possible carriers for food contaminants. Pathogens hiding in leafy greens, berries, and potatoes can make their way into the chopping board and get transferred to other foods.Wash all your fruits and vegetables well; use cutting boards made of plastic or glass since they are more resistant to germs, and use separate boards for chopping meats and vegetables.After you’re done using the chopping boards, clean it in hot, soapy water, following which you spray a mixture of bleach and water (1 tsp to 16 ounces). Rinse the board again with hot water.

All the germs that are washed off your body in the shower do not end up in the drain. They could be thriving in the moist environment of your bathroom. Disinfect the bathroom floor once a week and rub the sides of the shower and tub with anti-bacterial disinfectant as well.

Each time you flush, microscopic specks of fecal matter gets sprayed into the air, eventually landing onto the floor. I know, I was freaked out too when I found out. A simple precaution would be to close the lid of the toilet before you flush and mop the bathroom floor with bleach once a week.

After you brush, it is only natural for the bacteria and food particle to stick to your toothbrush. Therefore, after you are done brushing, rinse your toothbrush thoroughly in hot water. Dot not put it down on the counter or pack it away in a travel case – stand in a water glass to allow air drying.

News flash: there is feces in every pair of underwear you put into the laundry, even if it only a tenth of a gram. Ewwww! This means, one pair of undershorts can transfer E. coli bacteria to the entire wash load.

Run the washer and dryer at 150 degrees. This will kill the bacteria on the clothes. Always wash the underwear separately and move wet laundry to the dryer as soon as possible so germs cannot multiply.

But obviously, when you walk into the house with your shoes on, you are bound to bring in whatever it is that is stuck to them. In addition to the usual suspects like dust, dirt, and grime, you could also be carrying pollen and pesticide residue. Remove the shoes at the door and place an abrasive doormat at the door. And, don’t forget to clean this doormat once a week.

Well, I am on my way to making a cleaner and healthier home for myself and my family. How do you ensure that yours are coming into a safe haven every day?

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