Germs InThe House - 6 Dirtiest Places To Be Aware

While we are adept at scrubbing away dirt and grime from the obvious germ-ridden places such as the toilets and kitchen counters, our environment is choked-full of micro-organisms that lurk in surprising places. Fortunately, about 99% of them are not harmful to us, but the 1% of pathogens that are, do need to be taken care of. These viral or bacterial germs can cause anything between runny noses and potentially fatal infections. Here are some of the worst germ-ridden places around the house:

Your 'WELCOME' Doormat: It serves as an ideal host to the germs that come laden on shoe soles of all the people who cross your threshold. Coliform, a fecal bacterium is present on almost 96% of shoe soles. so, no matter how much you spruce up the entrance to your home, the floor area near the front door is almost always the dirtiest in terms of germs that cannot be seen but are ready for a ride into your home.

Always avoid putting your shopping bags and groceries on the doormat and do soak the mat in disinfectant every few days.

Your Kitchen Faucet: Running water keeps this place moist and ideal for bacterial growth. The combination of pathogens in tap water, bits of food and dirty fingers prodding the faucet can form a biofilm of active germs that can spread through water and cling to your food and dishes as you 'wash' them clean in the sink.

Once a week, remove the metal screen and soak it in dilute household bleach. Allow the water to run for a few minutes when you replace it.


Your Dish towel: A kitchen sponge is notorious germ-habouring thing, but even clean dish towels are not far behind. Constant use and dampness, even due to supposedly wiping off water from clean dishes makes these a hotbed for some bacteria that cause skin infection.

Do not use towels to clean countertops. Wash, disinfect and thoroughly dry dish cloths everyday and use only to wipe utensils.

Your Car's DashBoard: Bacteria and mould love this place, especially if you are in the habit of eating and drinking in the car. This is because this area stays 'warm' thus encouraging the growth of pathogens. If you suffer from hay fever and begin sneezing when you get behind the driving wheel, it is a sure sign of mould on the dashboard.

Regularly wipe the dashboard with disinfectant wipes to counter this problem and discourage children from clinging to the dashboard.

Your Refrigerator seal: It is the strip of rubber glued around the edges of your refrigerator door. Many kind of moulds tend to grow here if left unchecked, hence the visual discoloration., which is bad news for your food and people who are susceptible to allergies.

Next time you clean your fridge, don't forget to wipe the seal with dilute bleach solution or disinfectant.

Your Cell Phone: Several studies have proven that cell phones carry several kinds of harmful bacteria like salmonella which can cause stomach ailments as well as others that lead to skin, ear and eye infections. This is because we tend to put our phones down on any surface that looks clean and we may also be in the habit of answering the phone while eating.

In addition, mobile phone cases made of vinyl or leather provide ideal places for germ infestation. Mind where you put your cell phone and use disinfectant wipes regularly to clean the phone surface.