According to a study by the Society for General Microbiology, bacteria reproduce once every 20 minutes by dividing itself into two cells. A single bacterium can generate over 2,097,152 bacteria in just 7 hours!
Disease-Causing Germs
Disease-causing germs can be found all over most houses. Even the places you might think are clean can harbor dangerous bacteria and other germs. A recent study found over 340 different kinds of bacteria by inspecting 30 common contaminated objects in the homes. The most common household germs responsible for making people sick included:
- Salmonella
- coli
- Staphylococcus
- Mold and yeast
Top Unsanitary Spots in the House
Can you guess what the most germ-filled spot in your house is? Do you think it’s the toilet seat? Well, think again! The toilet seat doesn’t even come close to the top 5 spots full of germs in the house! Here are the top 5 dirtiest items or spots in your home determined by the number of germ count on each:
Dish Rags/Sponges:
Ironically, the dirtiest thing in your house is the item used for cleaning. According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), spots in the kitchen which are used for preparing and storing food had the highest count of bacteria and fecal contamination than any other place in the house.
A shocking 77% of the dish sponges and rags contained coliform, while 88% harbored various kinds of mold and yeast. A scary 18% of the rags even contained staph bacteria when swabbed by NSF’s microbiologists. Microwaving wet sponges and tossing the rags in a hot wash cycle every couple of days can get rid of most of the harmful bacteria.
Kitchen sinks:
Kitchen sinks can be breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria. They provide ideal environments for the bacteria to thrive and grow. The NSF reported that 45% of the kitchen sinks tested positive for coliform while 27% showed evidence of mold! The drain and the sides of the kitchen sinks need to be cleaned with antibacterial solutions and bleach regularly to get rid of the bacteria.
Food Prep Surface:
Most people are deceived by the spotless look of their countertops and cutting boards. They go about prepping their meals and chopping their veggies without giving any thought to the hidden bacteria lurking on the surface. The NSF study revealed that 32% of the countertops had a fecal coliform presence even though they are wiped and rinsed daily. 18% of the cutting boards also showed signs of contamination.
Clean the countertop and cutting boards with a diluted bleach solution and washing your veggies with hot water after cutting them up. This will prevent any lingering bacteria from causing you any harm.
Budget Maids provide reliable house cleaning in Fairfax, Columbia and the surrounding areas, as well as professional Maid Services for Clarksville. Give us a call today and let us help you make your home bacteria-free for a happy and healthy life!
