Anyone else still singing a 20 second scrub song while washing your hands? Nope, not Happy Birthday…Personally, we’ve been singing the adapted version of Dolly Parton’s Jolene.
“Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, because once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late”…and it sounds great, if we do say so ourselves.
However you’re choosing to soundtrack yours, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about profound changes to behaviour and an increased frequency of hand washing and sanitising is just one of them.
As the Evening Standard reports, “It’s currently unknown how long coronavirus can survive on objects, but studies related to viruses like Sars have shown that germs can live anything from a number of hours to several days, depending on the type of surface, and the temperature and humidity”.
In the spirit of caution and responsibility, it’s better to follow in the footsteps of germaphobes and clean freaks, we think. If you’re wondering which items might be stealthily carrying germs and could do with a little added attention, then read on; here are 7 everyday items you might not be sanitising regularly enough.
MOBILE PHONES
Chances are you’re reading this blog on your mobile phone. After all, our mobiles have practically become an extension of our bodies these days, and many report feeling lost, and even a limb down, without theirs close to hand.
This devotion and attachment means that we’re also constantly transferring all sorts of germs and bacteria onto their surface when we’re texting and typing. For an item that we so regularly use, it’s astonishing how often our phones are overlooked in our regular sanitation routine, when really, we should be wiping them with the same frequency as we wash our hands.
Your cell phone goes to the bathroom and kitchen, on public transport, and to the office and shops with you, and this makes it a breeding ground for all sorts of pathogens. Shockingly, a study done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that every 1 out of 6 smartphone screens is contaminated with faecal material. The study also declared that the average smartphone is 7 times dirtier than a toilet. Wow.
If you haven’t already, make it a habit to sanitise your cell phone screen regularly with an alcohol wipe, and while you’re at it, don’t forget to give your phone case a good wipe as well.
CREDIT-CARDS, WALLETS & PURSES
There’s another reason to avoid credit cards and it’s not because of debt! If you’ve ever wondered just how dirty paper notes, coins and credit/debit cards are but have never had the inclination to actually do the research, then we’ve got news for you; your money is more dirty than a New York City Subway. Which, as another point of reference, is way dirtier than the London Underground (personal opinion, sure, but shared by many).
As reported by Sean Perry, founder and director of cleaning company Neat Services via Bustle, “According to research from Mastercard and the University of Oxford, the average bank note is home to 26,000 types of bacteria including E. Coli. And the average coin has more germs than on a toilet seat…It’s perhaps not surprising given the number of people that exchange money on any given day, many of whom do not wash their hands before or after handling it.”
Credit cards, coins and notes all live in wallets and purses – so think of the bacteria that comes into contact with your choice of money-carrying device, too.
Whilst the rise in contactless payments has gone some way to mitigating this, it’s still sensible to regularly sanitise your cards, wallets and purses since they’re in such regular contact with your hands.
FOOTWEAR
As reported in the Independent towards to beginning of the pandemic back in March 2020, “according to experts, the risk of spreading coronavirus from clothing or shoes for most people is thought to be minimal.”
However, while we perhaps don’t consider it enough, our shoes have come into contact with a wide variety of contaminated places.
If you’re a healthcare worker, then you know this all too well. Hospital floors are a petri-dish of all sorts of nasty bacteria, which may even be resistant to antibiotics. Floors are a common source of hospital-acquired infection, according to Healthy Sole. Even if you don’t work in healthcare, bathroom floors are a place where bacteria thrives.
In fact, you never really know for sure what viruses and bacteria your shoes have brought back home from your grocery store trip, so it’s always a good idea to include them in your sanitising regime – especially if you wear them in your home. According to research, 93% of shoes will be carrying some faecal matter and most of that bacteria transfers directly onto a clean tile floor the moment you put your foot down – just saying!
DOOR HANDLES
Door handles and knobs – you’ve got so many in your home and caress them often, yet still, they’re so very easy to forget during the cleaning process. We touch doorknobs and door handles multiple times a day – whether entering the room, leaving the room, going to the bathroom or going out for a walk.
We might sound like a broken record, but as a general rule of thumb, if you touch something often, it needs to be disinfected with resultant regularity. Neglecting door handles from the disinfection process can be risky, especially since we now know that viruses are known to survive on surfaces for days. Do yourself a favour and sanitise your home’s door handles each and every day.
KEYBOARDS
Online classes, remote work, or just binge-watching YouTube – our laptops have become our best friends in the pandemic. Without them, life under lockdown would have been unbearable.
However, bacteria and viruses can often be found lurking in the crevices of your keyboard. While you may not be taking your laptop to your favourite coffee shop like the good ol’ days, regular use means that there is still a potential for it to be contaminated. And since we’re using our keyboards in our home office setups more than ever, it’s better to be safe than sorry; wipe your keyboard clean each day before and after use.
KETTLE, REMOTE CONTROL & OTHER HOME APPLIANCES
The Mirror recently reported that “The handle of a kettle in a family home contains more bacteria than the toilet seat” and that’s enough to put anyone off their beloved cup of tea. Whilst we realise we might be repeating ourselves by now, do remember to sanitise this most beloved of appliances.
Speaking of beloved appliances, there’s no excuse to neglect your remote control from a strict sanitising routine, either. As we’re often eating, or worse, could be coughing or sneezing while using the remote control, it can get seriously dirty – 20 times dirtier than (you guessed it) your toilet seat! Sanitise accordingly, with a sanitising wipe containing a high enough ethanol content (66% or above, if you’re asking).
STEERING WHEELS
As with everything else on the list, steering wheels are amongst high-contact surfaces and are a breeding ground for germs. You should always keep your steering wheels sanitised so that you don’t end up inadvertently bringing bacteria into your home. It is also recommended that you should use a hand-sanitiser before driving, to avoid contaminating your wheel which could then harbour bacteria until a later date.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Looking for more cleaning tips? Check out our lockdown cleaning checklist on 10 places needing special attention at home.