What are the daily chores that you consider mandatory when it comes to basic hygiene? Vacuuming the floor, washing your utensils and dusting the furniture. Well, if your list looks similar to this, you are ignoring some important areas, which, if left ignored can make you and your family seriously ill. We have listed few such household items that need attention, on a daily basis (along with a few others that SHOULD be cleaned in a week or at least once in 15 days). (Image: Shutterstock)
Microwave: Often used to warm refrigerated foods, microwave tops this list. We don’t often clean our microwaves. Blame it on our hectic schedules or laziness, but that spilled milk, or splattered curries in it, can give birth to harmful microbes, which are enough to make us ill.
How to clean it: Take a damp cotton cloth and wipe inside and outside your microwave. After wiping, put a bowl of lemon juice and bring it to boil. Your microwave will smell fresh. (Image: Shutterstock)
Kitchen sink: We wash our utensils in the kitchen sink, but how many times do we remember to clean it? Not too often. Imagine, kitchen sink is where we keep our dirty utensils and overlooking its cleanliness can easily allow breeding of bacteria and hence, can cause diseases.
How to clean it: Spray a disinfectant solution and keep it for some time. Wash it off after 15 minutes. Another way is to clean it with a solution of baking soda and lemon. Your sink will smell good and will be free from bacteria.
Remote: Without even realizing how much bacteria it contains, we use it day and night without any fear. Your TV remote is touched by different people and can harbor germs. A dirty remote can make you and your family members ill, so it’s important to clean it frequently.
How you can clean your remote: Use sanitizing wipes to clean your remote, daily.
Bath towels: It is rare that you change your bath towels frequently. However, health experts say that you should wash your towel after every three or four use. As bacteria grows more in dark and moist environments, damp towels become their haven to grow.
What you can do: Wash them after three or four use and do not leave damp towel in bathroom. Rather put it in an open place, let it fully dry, preferably sun-dried. And the moment your towel starts emitting foul odour, discard it.
Phone: We touch our cell phones day and night and these dirty phone screens are pressed against our face skin. So, next time you find that pimple popping up, don’t blame your skin texture, rather clean your cell phone.
How to clean it: Wipe your phone with a sanitized cloth and keep your skin healthy.
Refrigerator: Not cleaned too often, dirty refrigerator can be a breeding ground for bacteria. This, in turn, destroys our raw vegetables, fresh fruits and other food materials stored in it.
How to clean it: Cleaning a refrigerator is indeed a task. Clean it atleast once a week or once in 10 days. Empty your refrigerator and clean it. You can wash the shelves and wipe out the fridge with a damp cotton cloth.
Washing machines: Using the detergent to wash your clothes doesn’t automatically clean your washing machine and dryer. You need to clean your washing machine from inside and outside, if not regularly, then once in a month.
How to clean it: Take a soft cotton cloth and clean your washing machine and dryer. Also, keep your washing machine covered so as to avoid dust and mosquitoes from breeding.
