6 Things You Should Clean, But Probably Don’t

By Allison Ford, DivineCaroline

I am a cleaning nut. If there’s a surface to be shined, I’ll shine it. If there’s streaky glass, I’ll polish it. I’ll clean, wash, scrub, and disinfect just about everything in my house I can get my hands on, and I’ve even been known to not sleep well when I know dust bunnies are gathering under the bed. (My fiancé still hasn’t decided whether my proclivity for cleaning makes him the luckiest or most tortured man in the world.)

Regardless of whether your cleaning routine is a simple toilet-floor-dishes progression or one that borders on mania (like, umm, sanitizing your baseboards), there are likely some items in your house that are riddled with germs and need to be sanitized. Even those of us on high dirt alert can occasionally forget about these stealthy bacteria bombs.

Reusable Grocery Bags
Many of us have gotten into the habit of taking our own bags when we do our shopping, but how many of us clean them after each trip? According to a study conducted by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University, 97 percent of consumers never wash their bags. About 50 percent of the bags tested contained coliform (fecal) bacteria, and 12 percent contained E. coli. Especially since many people choose reusable bags to bring their lunch to work, to transport books or clothes, and for many other household uses, washing them after each use is the key to stopping contamination from vegetables or raw meat. Cloth bags can go directly into the washer and dryer, and recycled plastic bags can be wiped down with hot soapy water or treated with a disinfectant spray. Researchers also advise using each bag for only a single purpose—carrying raw meat, carrying vegetables, transporting laundry, or as a miscellaneous shopping tote.

1 of 4

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Anya G.

10:37AM PST on Mar 9, 2011

Ethanol....works wonders in the shower.

send a green star

Ali P.

10:47AM PST on Nov 14, 2010

Don't forget the phone!

Elisabeth E.

5:46AM PDT on Oct 10, 2010

I am definitely the bare minimum cleaner. I think there are more constructive ways to spend my time. However, a few of these ideas seem easy enough to fit in without being time consuming. Thank you for the suggestions.

Angela B.

9:23AM PDT on Sep 27, 2010

Loved the article! Thanks for the great info!

Debra C.

2:39PM PDT on Sep 21, 2010

1. Also helps to line the bottom of garbage cans with some old newspapers, before putting the bags in. A sprinkling of baking soda underneath assist in keeping the odor down. Much easier to lift out the paper then scrape the chewing gum off the can.
2. Light fixtures - one ought to dump the bugs and wash them 2x a year

2:11PM PDT on Sep 21, 2010

Got all the ones you mentioned here. Does anyone else wander their walls w/ swabs and isopropyl (alcohol) to do the light switches and around plug ins?

Tammy D.

2:03PM PDT on Sep 15, 2010

got to get on cleaning

Linda T.

11:39AM PDT on Sep 11, 2010

Knew I needed something else to feel guilty about not cleaning!

Monique D.

1:45PM PDT on Sep 10, 2010

I never would have thought about a showerhead

Andrea S.

12:28PM PDT on Sep 8, 2010

I clean my trash can, keyboard, and showerhead! of course!