The 8 germiest items in your home

Cleaning (like your Netflix queue) requires prioritization. Kelly Reynolds, an environmental biologist at the University of Arizonas Zuckerman College of Public Health in Tucson, explains where to focus your energyand the sanitizing spray.

Kitchen Sponge/Dish Rag Youve heard this before, and yet the item used to clean dishes and countertops is still the filthiest thing in most homes, Reynolds said. Residential sponges and cloths routinely test positive for illness-causing bacteria, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well as the influenza virus; the damp material is also a breeding ground for mold. With every swipe, you could be spreading that gunk all over the place. No wonder the FDA has banned spongeswhich tend to be more hazardous than quicker-drying ragsfrom commercial kitchens.

Clean up: After each use, rinse the sponge or cloth in hot water, wring it out, and let it dry in a ventilated soap dish or spread out over a towel bar. At the end of the day, and after every raw-meat encounter, sterilize a wet sponge by popping it in the microwave for one minute (emphasis on weta dry sponge could catch fire); toss rags in the laundry. Clean countertops daily with a disinfecting spray and switch to a new sponge every couple of weeks.

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Kitchen Sink This area typically harbors more than 500,000 bacteriaten times the amount found on the average toilet seat, Reynolds said. Blame the fact that most people clean the commode regularly, but the basin where raw produce is rinsed? Not so much. Uncooked fruits and vegetables and knives and cutting boards that have come in contact with raw meat are loaded with potential pathogens. Add moisture and scraps of food, which encourage germ growth, and suddenly you have a population the size of Seattle in your sink.

Clean up: A couple of times a week, and after you prepare raw food, wet the sink and scour with a scrub brush to get rid of any bacteria adhered to the surface, Reynolds said. Pay particular attention to the germ hotspots around the drain and garbage disposal. Spray the faucet, basin, and your brush with a solution of cup of chlorine bleach and one quart of water or full-strength hydrogen peroxide. Or, try a natural antibacterial product, like Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner. Let sit for ten minutes, then rinse.

Related: How to Keep Things in Moderation

Toothbrushes You deposit germs from your mouth onto your toothbrush daily. Then you leave it to dry in a damp bathroom, possibly across from the toilet, where the bristles can become contaminated with the airborne bacteria released with every flushheard enough?

You can get sick from using your own toothbrush and you can keep reinfecting yourself, Reynolds said, noting that bugs such as E. coli, Listeria, and Strepnot to mention moldmay be lurking between the bristles.

Clean up: Allow toothbrushes to air-dry in an upright holder (away from the toilet, if possible). You can also significantly reduce the number of germs wafting through the bathroom by closing the lid when you flush. Once a week, run toothbrushesand the holder if its safethrough the dishwashers sanitizing cycle to kill bacteria. Replace brushes every three months or after youve been ill.

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The 8 germiest items in your home