Most of us don’t love housework. But did you know that keeping up with it doesn’t only improve the way your house looks, it can also improve your overall health? Following are some of the worst places for grossness to accumulate in the home and tips on how to keep your home and your family healthy.
Dust is gross.
Did you know that the dust that accumulates in your home is mostly comprised of dead skin cells? And dust mite droppings and carcasses? Super gross, right?
Americans spend almost 90% of their time indoors, with much of that time being spent at home. Pet dander and pollen, along with those dead skin cells and dust mites, can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Dusting your home regularly and keeping your pets groomed can help. Removing your shoes before you come inside can decrease the amount of pollen you track in. Regularly vacuuming can clean up any pollen and pet dander that do accumulate. And don’t forget to keep your vacuum clean by changing the bag/canister regularly and cleaning the hoses and brushes a few times a year.
Bathrooms are gross.
Bathrooms tend to be where we focus a lot of our cleaning efforts, for obvious reasons. The main offenders we find in the bathroom are E. coli, shigella, salmonella and streptococcus bacteria. Would it surprise you to know that your shower curtain and shower floor are home to 60 times more bacteria than your toilet seat? While we tend to think of the toilet as the biggest yuck culprit, the shower provides a warm, wet environment that bacteria love. Another surprising bacteria magnet is the handle of your toothbrush. Human hands hold nearly 150 species of bacteria that get deposited onto that handle every time you brush. So, swapping out your toothbrush for a new one on the reg makes sense for so many reasons.
Kitchen sponges are gross.
The kitchen can be a hiding place for numerous microbes but there’s one place they really love to hide: your kitchen sponge. A warm, damp atmosphere is a welcoming haven for bacteria and there’s nothing that stays as warm and damp as that sponge that’s hanging out in the sink all day every day. This funky little guy holds all kinds of nasties, including close relatives of the bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis. And while there have been numerous claims that you can simply run your sponge through the wash, boil it, or zap it in the microwave, none of these hold and may actually make your sponge more enticing to bacteria!
It’s best to replace your kitchen sponge every week.
Beds are gross.
A lot of that time we spend at home is spent in bed. We spend nearly 1/3 of our lives in bed so regularly changing and washing bedding is imperative for good health. Even if you remove your shoes and shower before bed, you can still drag pollen and pet detritus into bed with you, which can make allergies flare. Dust mites also love beds. Wash your sheets frequently and don’t get into bed with clothes you’ve worn out into the world.
While it’s true that our homes are veritable hotbeds of bacterial activity, getting into the habit of routine cleaning and changing out of items like sponges and toothbrushes can help you avoid many common illnesses and allergens. So, crank up your favorite tunes and get cleaning!
About Revan Health
Revan Health provides welcoming, respectful family medicine for all from infants to geriatrics. We understand the pain and frustration that comes with not feeling heard by your family care provider. We believe access to respectful care is key to improving medicine adherence and overall life satisfaction for our patients. Like us on Facebook or visit us at revanhealth.com.