The Dirtiest Things We Often Forget To Clean

In our hectic lives, we ignore the little things in our homes or office that need our attention. But at some point, they remind themselves differently by stopping working properly or unpleasant odours around them.

Here is a short list of the dirtiest things we must clean but ignore:

Purses

Most women wear purses these days, but do they clean them? Aside from throwing away old receipts and random pieces of gum, most women rarely pay attention to their purses. Especially where they put them.The outer surfaces are the dirtiest. Think about how often you leave your bag on tables, benches, seats, etc. Imagine all the germs you collect and then transfer to the car seat when you leave your bag.

Worse, you probably put it on the kitchen counter or side table when you get home. Wipe the outside with a microfibre soap disinfectant and refrain from placing it on any surface in your home. Place a hook to hang your bag and keep it away from tables, chairs and counter tops. You should clean your purse every week, if not more often.

Empty everything and wipe the inside with a disinfectant cloth. Then wipe the handle and the entire outer surface with another cloth and set it aside to dry.

Remote controls

Let me tell you how polluted a remote control can be. We had one that stopped working correctly, and when I disassembled it to fix it, I realised how disgustingly dirty it was. There were stains of dirt all over the outside of the remote. And the reason it didn’t work properly as it had stuck so much garbage.

I had to disassemble the remote and use a toothbrush and toothpicks dipped in disinfectant to remove all the dirt. Then I wiped the surface, let it dry and put everything back together.

It worked like brand new. I now wipe it with a disinfectant towel every week during my weekly cleaning and clean up any noticeable residue with a toothpick.

Several times a year, I disassemble it and clean it around the buttons.

Phones and personal electronics

Most people are on their phones most of the day. Still, how often do you see someone clean their phone?

When was the last time you cleaned yours? I’m not talking about wiping the screen so you can see through your fingerprints. I mean, really cleaning your phone.

Remove the cover and see all the dirt. Wipe it thoroughly, ensuring you cover each part at the inside corners of the box. Set it aside to dry. Put it in order and use it again.

You should clean the outside of your phone daily, remove the case and clean the hidden areas once a week.

Computer keyboard

In the world of digitalisation, we widely use computer keyboards. With this use, all small particles fall between the keys.

Depending on the frequency of use, you should spray the keyboard with compressed air once a week to clean up any debris. You can use a paintbrush or toothpick to remove everything between the keys. Then wipe the keys and flat surfaces with a disinfectant cloth.

Clean your home keyboard once a week. If you share a computer at work, clean it every day.

Coffee machine

If you drink a lot of coffee, your coffee machine can get dirty. Dirty coffee machines do not work well and can affect the taste of your coffee.

One morning my husband, pouring himself another cup of coffee to wake up, told me that his coffee did not taste as good as expected. Then he poured it into the sink, and since I don’t drink coffee, I asked him when he last cleaned the coffee machine. He did not answer and went to the other room, angry.

Hard water and mineral deposits accumulate in and around the water tank, and oils and grain residues stick. I immediately searched for information on the Internet about cleaning coffee machines, and I am sharing it with you here:

Take the water tank out and fill it with water and vinegar in a ratio of 50:50. But if you are intolerant to the smell of vinegar, you can squeeze 1-2 lemons and replace the vinegar without any problems.

Return the filled tank and run the coffee machine on an empty cycle. If you have a jug, leave it to collect the solution. If you don’t have one, put a glass or a bowl.

When the tank reaches the middle, stop the machine for about 1 hour to clean it well. Then re-release it.

Now, fill the tank with water and run 2-3 empty cycles to remove the vinegar residue.

If you have a removable filter, you can also clean it with soapy water to ensure it is 100% clean and disinfected.

After you have taken care of the coffee machine’s inside, it is also time to clean it outside. Exterior cleaning is even easier. Clean it with a sponge, but not the abrasive part and a little dishwashing detergent. Then wipe it with kitchen paper or a microfibre cloth.

Cleaning takes 15-20 minutes, but you can enjoy a warm cup of aromatic coffee!

Toaster

Usually, when we clean the toaster, many crumbs fall off, so take it over the sink or a piece of newspaper. If your toaster has a crumb tray, remove it and discard the crumbs. Otherwise, turn it down and shake it vigorously to pour the crumbs accumulated inside.

• Take the toaster crumb tray and fill it with hot water. Add a few drops of dishwashing detergent. Leave to soak for 15 minutes and wash with a sponge. If there are stubborn stains from soot, smear them with a thick baking soda and water paste and rub them well. After rinsing the tray, let it dry completely before returning it to the toaster.
• Use a small brush to reach the jammed crumbs inside the toaster. Brush well and use a vacuum cleaner to clean the crumbs inside.
• Immerse the sponge in warm soapy water and wipe the toaster outside. Be sure to rub the buttons. They are usually dirtier.
• Dry the surface of the toaster with a clean, dry cloth. If the toaster is made of metal, dip the towel in a bit of vinegar – this will polish the surface, and the toaster will shine.
• Put the crumb tray back in place.
  Ready! The toaster shines again!

These are just some of the things. There are many others, such as fans, curtains in the bathroom, pet plates, dishwasher, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, walls around the toilet, etc. With more vigilance and observation, we will also be able to cope with these tasks.