5 household items to ensure you clean regularly for a healthier home environment
A lot of items we have in the home can get dirty without us really noticing this, and we list five of these items here: we recommend you make sure these are on your "to-do" list for your next cleaning session!
1 - Smartphones and tablets
A study conducted by the University of Arizona revealed that smartphones can have more bacteria on them than on toilet seats!
The main cause of this surprising finding is a lack of regular cleaning of smartphones.
And swapping/borrowing smartphones can also make it easier for viruses to pass from one person to another.
To sanitize your smartphone, simply use a soft cloth dampened in an alcohol solution.
2 - Pillows
A study carried out by researchers from St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London and the National Health Service has found that pillows can accumulate a large number of harmful impurities, including dust mites, dead skin cells, saliva residue and numerous types of bacteria.
Experts warn that this "mix" can cause various ailments such as headaches and rhinitis (nose irritation), especially in people with allergies or weak immune systems.
To minimize this risk, we recommend that you wash your pillows regularly in the washing machine and/or replace them every two years as a precautionary measure.
3 - Mattresses
According to research, a mattress can have from 100,000 to 10 million mites living in it (as well as a wide variety of germs and bacteria). These numbers vary, of course, based on the age of the mattress and its quality.
These days, there are mattresses on the market that, in addition to improving the quality of sleep, also offer greater hygienic protection. However, it is essential to keep your mattresses clean, making sure you air them out regularly to prevent a build-up of moisture (which, in turn, causes bacteria to proliferate).
Additionally, it is a good idea to vacuum your mattresses once a week using a regular vacuum cleaner.
4 - Remote controls
A study by the University of Houston has found that remote controls - an object handled frequently by everyone in a home - can be as dirty as a toilet seat.
This study focused in particular on remote controls found in hotel rooms and found the presence of millions of bacteria of different types living on the surface of these remotes.
5 - Computer keyboard
A computer keyboard is a notorious "refuge" for dust, hair and food residue due to all the open gaps between the keys.
We recommend that you take the time to clean your keyboards periodically, using a cloth dampened with an alcoholic solution. The alcohol will disinfect the keyboards and a vacuum cleaner will remove loose dirt, dust and crumbs.
So, during your next cleaning session, don't forget to spend some time to cleaning the above items to ensure proper hygiene standards in your home.
