Seems like this time of the year we become obsessed with organizing our cluttered minds and our homes, getting rid of all the jumble of things that mysteriously appear in our closets, on the floors, in the car, on the desk, under the bed, in the pantry. Dare I even mention the garage? You have already been bombarded with countless ads, blogs and articles about organizing and purging for the New Year and I am not going down that overstated and overdone topic. I am thinking instead of some numbers about how mean, clean can be and some astonishing facts to shake you up about germs and dirt and the time we spend cleaning, cleaning and cleaning. Ugh! Somebody has to do it and maybe a few of these revelations will make this task more meaningful. Germs are in your home right now and in the best conditions can multiply every 20 minutes, but with just soap and water, bleach and disinfecting wipes, you can be the general of the germs.
Dishtowels and sponges are just waiting for the little critters to be at home. Since they hold moisture and we use them all over the kitchen, it is important to sanitize these objects regularly. Sponges can be one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen – 200,000 times dirtier than the average toilet seat. Microwave sponges for a minute on high in your microwave and do what I do: when not in use, keep in the dishwasher and wash daily with your dishes. Toss your dishtowels in the washing machine daily and throw away grungy or frayed sponges.
Doorknobs, light switches, refrigerator handles, and cabinet pulls also harbor germs as you handle raw food when cooking. At least once a week, grab some anti-bacterial wipes and give all these often used objects a good swipe. You need at least 3 minutes for sanitizing wipes to kill all the germs, so don’t touch the surfaces again for 3 minutes to make sure all the critters are wiped out.
Carpets are also great hiding places. To make sure all dirt and grime is gone, you should vacuum 7 times over and over in high traffic areas. Yes, really do it!
Laundry rooms, too, are on the most wanted list. An average family washes 300 loads of laundry a year or if you are like my exercising, laundry abusive family, a lot more. Wet laundry is a breeding ground for germs and you should make every attempt to get those wet clothes into the dryer, pronto. Best practices tell us that after 30 minutes of sitting in the washer after the cycle is completed, the wet clothes should be run again. That is a tough rule to follow for us busy people, but this prevents mildew and that funky smell when clothes are left to spoil in the washer!
Hopefully, you have a self-cleaning oven; use it often to get rid of crusted food, spills and grease. The highest temperature is 900 degrees on the self-cleaning setting which is higher than the normal temperature on Venus, our hottest planet in the solar system. You can be assured that every last crumb will be disintegrated. Our dishwasher doesn’t work that hard, but the water temperature usually rises to 140 degrees, hotter than washing by hand but still not hot enough to kill some dangerous bacteria like salmonella. I always wash my meat and chicken cutting board with a mild solution of water and chlorine bleach. You can’t beat the magic mixture of 1 gallon water to 1/2 teaspoon of bleach to rest assured that germs are detonated, anywhere.
My favorite sleeping pillows are my best friend and I am super picky and super attached to each pillow on my bed. To keep your special pillows, whether, down, feather or synthetic, fresh and clean, you should wash and dry them every three months. Just think of the abuse our pillows get each night: sweat, drool, coughing germs, the detritus of shedding skin, smeared, leftover make-up and much more. Whew! Do check the care tag on your pillows as different materials require different cleaning directions. I have down pillows and to fluff them up, I wrap an old running shoe or some tennis balls in a pillowcase or sock and tie tightly and pop it in the dryer with my down pillows to renew the mashed up wet down. My down comforter gets the same love and attention.
Don’t forget your other best friend, your gadgets that keep you connected. Most office desks contain 400 times more bacteria than your bathroom. We know that bathrooms are harbingers of germs and clean this space regularly, but we forget that our gadgets, remotes, phones, iPods and computer keyboards are handled by many people and get touched constantly, in different places, besieged by lurking spills, fingerprints and who knows what else. Most disinfecting wipes are safe for electronics but read the label before using.
We can never escape germs and bacteria but the easiest way to keep them out is to not bring them in. You know the solution: Wash your hands properly and often. It is the friction, the rubbing together, and the length of time you wash that is the key to clean, germ free hands. You should wash at least 20 to 30 seconds (as long as it takes you to sing “The Alphabet Song”…abcdefg….. or a couple of verses of “Row Your Boat”). Even if you have no water available, rub your hands and fingers together vigorously. Washing your hands is another magic trick to keep you and your home in the pink of whatever color makes you think good thoughts.
Be mean about obliterating germs; it is the flu and cold season so attack now and really be healthy and happy to do all that organizing you are agonizing about.