10 Things You Should Always Clean Every Day (Without Question) (2024)

Life cangetreally dirtyveryquicklyif you’re not careful. In fact,youmost assuredlywill find yourself needing to clean regularly because of kids, pets, family gatherings, and more.It’sessential toperiodically cleanto eliminate harmful germs and bacteria, especially amid the global pandemic that had us running to the nearest store for every disinfectant product imaginable.

As your authority on everything cleaning, we know a few things about how and what you should be cleaningroutinelyto protect yourself and your family. Check out these 10household items you should be cleaning every day—without question.

1. Sponges

We love a good sponge to wipe, absorb, and eliminate spills on all hard surfaces. But with so much time on the job, sponges could use a little TLC of their own.As an essential cleaning tool in your home,we recommend youclean your sponges every day with some water andbaking sodatoensure these handy items stay clean and fresh long-term.

2. Dishes

Leaving the dishes in the sink overnight is something many people are guilty of doing, but itisn’tsomething you should make a habitof.Food particles and waterarethe perfectingredients for abacteriasmorgasbord.According to theNational Sanitation Foundation(NSF), kitchen sinks were reported to have the highest concentration of bacteria inanentire home.

The best way to clean your dishes frequently, safely, and easily is to put them in thedishwasher. After all, we have talked about how magical and essential yourdishwashercan be in cleaning items youdidn’teven know you could put in there.

3. KitchenCounters

Speaking of items in your kitchen that need daily attention, your kitchen counters are likely the most-used surfacesin your home,andtheyattract dirt easily.Yourkitchen counters see a lot of action, which means they harbor microscopicorganismsthatcould be harmful to your health. Use a disinfected sponge andatried-and-truegerm-killing productto blast away the caked-on food, dirt, and dust for good.

4.DiningRoomTable

The dining room table sees its fair share offamily dinners. Food debris can get left behind and start to grow dangerous bacteria, mold, and a host of other things. Depending on the type of kitchen table you have,you’llwant to start by dusting it off firstso you can give it a good cleaning.

For specific types of dining tables, follow thesesimple cleaninginstructions:

• Wood– Use warm water and a microfiber cloth to wipe down your dining table after every meal.Make sure to clean off any excess dampness with a clean towel to avoid watermarks and damage.

• Glass– A disinfected sponge, warm water, and baking powder can work wonders on a glass table. A glass cleaning solution is always a great way to get your table to shine afterit’swashed.

• Metal– You can use a cloth or sponge to wipe a metaltable butavoid using the sponge’s abrasive side for caked-onfoods,so youdon’tcause any damage.

5. BathroomCounters

Like kitchen counters,bathroomcounters can harbor thousands of germs and bacteria that could bedetrimentalto your health.But because fecal matter could be involved,there’smore cause for concern when bathroom counters are left untouched.Some of the most common types of bacteria found on bathroom counters includeE. coli, streptococcus,and salmonella.According to aCBSNewsreport in 2007, a bathroom countertop ismade up of452 bacteria per square inch.

To thoroughly and naturally sanitize your bathroom counters,mixa cup of hot water and a cup ofwhitevinegar. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and clean until your heart’s content.

6. ComputerKeyboard

With manyAmericansworking from home full timeamid thepandemic, computer keyboardsaregettingdaily workouts.Thismeans they also need to get daily wipe downs.Just imagine the number of germs sitting on your keyboard right now. Researchers at theUniversity of Arizona found that the average desktopkeyboardhas 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.That’sa pretty unpleasantpicture that you can erase by using isopropyl alcoholor an electronic-safe cleaning productto giveyour keyboard a good scrub.

7.Keys

Surprisingly, carand housekeysare notas dirty orgerm ladenas a toilet seat (like some items on this list). One reason could be becausethey’relikely handled solely by you or your spouse. Another theory is that keys are made ofcertainmetals thatdon’tlend themselves to bacteria build-up. And while theydon’tharbor as much bacteria as other household items, they areriddled with germs youwant attacking your immune system.

Safely clean your carand housekeys using warm water, a drop ofdish soap, and an old toothbrush to getinall the nooks and crannies. For a quicker alternative, throw them in the dishwasher and use the “sanitize” setting for thorough disinfection.

8. Remote controls

Oh, the remote control. You can’t live without it or keep from losing it. But we can make a point to disinfect this handy item daily. In 2012, the American Society for Microbiology performed astudyof hotel room remote controls, finding that they were the most germ-infested item in hotel rooms.

Fortunately, rubbing alcohol can sanitize your remote quickly and easily. Pour a bit on a paper towel and wipe every inch of the remote to ensureitisthoroughly disinfected.

9. Phone Screen

Think of how much face time (punintended) your phone screen gets daily.Americansare prone to touching their phones at least 47 times per day, which gives bacteria ample time tolatchon and set up shop. Astudyin 2017 found that 17,000 bacterial gene copies were discovered on the cell phones of high schoolers.

Like cleaning your remote control, mobile devices can be safely disinfected using an alcohol wipe to kill bacteria and keepthemfrom multiplying or spreading.

10. Toothbrush

Because most people house their toothbrushes in their bathrooms (andwe’vealready gotten into how bacteria-ridden the bathroom countertops are), it shouldn’t be surprising to find that your toothbrush should be cleaned daily. In fact,researchers at theUniversity of Manchesterin Englandfound that toothbrushes can be breeding grounds forstaphylococci bacteria and E. coli.The NFS reportedthat toothbrushes containat least 200,000 bacteria per square inch.All this simplymeansis that, instead of making your pearly whites whiter, you could be contaminating your body with life-threatening bacteria.

Your toothbrush can be easily cleaned by pouring3% hydrogen peroxide into a small cupand letting it soak for about 15 minutes.Lettingitsitlonger could damage the bristles.Rinseyour toothbrushthoroughly withwarmwater beforeuse.

When it comes to cleaning household items to keep your family happy and healthy, Merry Maids® experts can help.

To get a free estimate for virtually any type of cleaning you need, call us at(888) 490-4227.