Three Dirtiest Household Items

You can't avoid germs entirely, unfortunately. They're everywhere! A good house cleaning certainly helps, but do you know which items in your house hold the most germs and how to handle them? Here are three of the dirtiest items in your home and what you need to know about each:

Kitchen Sponge. Without a doubt, the kitchen sponge is the germiest item in your house. The wet, porous material is a breeding ground for germs, and when you reuse it while it's dirty, you spread germs to every surface it touches. Worse, the bacteria found in kitchen sponge actually can make you quite ill.

Solution : Don't use a sponge if you can help it. Use paper towels or rags that you wash frequently. If you can't bear to part with your sponge, either use a new one every day or throw it in the dishwasher with a load of dishes every day, and let it go all the way through the drying cycle. The hot water will kill the germs, and a dry sponge is less likely to grow more.

Money. When your mom told you to wash your hands after messing with money, she wasn't being paranoid--money is a germ-riddled item and mostly unavoidable. When you think of all the places a dollar bill or a quarter goes in its lifetime, it's no surprise it picks up as much bacteria as it does.

Solution : You can't easily clean money, so your best bet is to wash your hands whenever you handle money. If your work requires you to touch money a lot, keep a bottle of hand sanitizer next to your station or cash register and use it frequently.

Computer Keyboard. Your fingers are on it all the time, passing germs back and forth. If you share your computer with anyone else, you can compoud your germs and their germs when you think about the bacteria on your keyboard. It's downright disconcerting.

Solution : Use alcohol or disinfectant wipes on your keyboard at least every couple of days, more often if you share you computer with others. Don't be afraid to get down between the keys a little, as well--the alcohol dries quickly and will not damage your computer.

Of course, that's just three of the worst--there are many more, including light switches and toilets. Keeping your home as clean as possible will help you the most, and don't hestitate to find a maid service to help!