Do you feel like you get sick all of the time? There could be a lot of reasons why:
- You’re Not Washing Your Hands (or not washing them long enough)
- You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep
- You’re Not Drinking Enough Water
- You’re Constantly Stressed
The list goes on and on. But it could also be everyday items you interact with daily.
Want to know of some of the nastiest things that you touch every day that could be making you sick?
11 of the Dirtiest Items You Touch Every Day
- Money: Cash and coins are assumed to be the dirtiest of all, but according to a 2019 study, credit and debit cards are worse! Based on the germ scores of the study, the dirtiest card was rated 1206 and the dirtiest cash was rated at 633. That’s a big difference! On average, $5 bills are the dirtiest and $100 bills are the “cleanest”. So, stick with $100 bills :).
- Keyboard: Your keyboard is 20,000 times dirtier than your toilet seat, that’s according to new research. [Grabs The ONE Multi-Cleaner to wipe down keyboard]. But as long as we are on the topic of office items, if you have an electronic ID badge for work, that’s even dirtier. Go ahead and wipe that down, too.
- Smartphone: Good news! Your smartphone only has 9,000 times more germs than a toilet seat. That means it’s cleaner than your keyboard! Time to wipe that phone down, and maybe leave it in your purse when you’re in the, um, bathroom. Unless you’re hiding from your kids in there then it’s fine.
- Light Switches: Light switches tend to be dirtier than your bathroom doorknob, which most people assume is the dirtiest. Try and clean switches and the surrounding plastic once a week. Be sure not to spray directly on the switch, rather spray on your towel and wipe it down. One last thing, don’t forget to sanitize your toilet flusher handle.
Immune Booster Tip: Add these items to your cleaning checklist so you remember to wipe them down once in a while.
5. Doorknobs: High-traffic doorknobs are likely the dirtiest in your home. Can you remember the last time you went through your house and wiped down your doorknobs? If so, pat yourself on the back. Might as well clean those doorknobs and light switches at the same time.
6. Grocery Carts: One good thing came out of Coronavirus. The fact that grocery stores wipe down the carts after every use. Fecal matter and other “deadly germs” (E.Coli and Salmonella) have been found on shopping carts, hand baskets, handicap carts, food trays, and other equipment. Yuck!
7. Out-of-Season Produce: There’s kind of no such thing as “in season” in the supermarket. Stores tend to buy from producers that can supply year-round, which means even if the fruit is “in season” your fruit probably was purchased a while ago. For in-season fruits, check out locally grown options. And always, always wash it before you eat it.
8. Water Pitchers (at a restaurant): These are typically only washed once a day. So, that means your water pitcher has had lots of hands pouring it throughout the day, especially if you’re there for a late dinner. The nastiest part of a water pitcher is the spout. Avoid letting your pitcher spout clink to your cup because that’s where the germs transfer.
Immune Booster Tip: Don’t assume public places are clean. Wipe down carts, wash produce, and avoid touching water spouts to glasses.
9. Fridge Handles: Disinfect these asap. Lots of hands grab the fridge handles to grab a drink or a snack. Whether it’s little kids coming in from playing outside or you grabbing ingredients after cutting raw meat, just know that these are dirty. Wipe fridge handles and microwave buttons while wiping down counters.
10. Kitchen Sponges: Kitchen sponges might be the dirtiest thing on this entire list. Most people use sponges to clean meat juice, food debris, unpasteurized milk, and fruits and veggies. Instead, you should use a cleanser or running water with a paper towel for those things. To disinfect a sponge you can microwave it, put it in the dishwasher, soak it in vinegar or just throw it away and replace it with a new one (preferably once a week) or as soon as it smells.
11. Kids :): Okay, you can’t actually avoid your kids BUT you can teach them to be cleaner little people. Make handwashing cool! Create habits of washing hands before every meal, after playing, after using the restroom, or just because. Have hand sanitizer around the house for kids to use.
Our Favorite Immune Booster
Things get dirty. Germs are everywhere. We can’t completely avoid getting sick BUT we can find ways to boost our immune system.
Sleeping enough, eating right, and generally keeping a clean(ish) house are all great ways to boost your immune system.
Our Boost + Vitamin C Power Drink offers immune support from multiple natural sources. Not only is it tasty (helping you get more water in), it’s only 10 calories per serving, a great source of vitamins and minerals, and can help you cut down on sugary sodas (which are not good for the immune system).
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Sip on this while you’re sanitizing your nasty house ;). Stay healthy!
