Don't store your toothbrushes in the dark and NEVER wash chopping boards with soap: The biggest cleaning mistakes people make revealed
- A home expert has spoken about the worst cleaning mistakes she has seen
- Some of them, like using dish soap on your cutting boards, might surprise you
- We should also be keeping our toothbrushes in the light and cleaning remotes
If you're storing your toothbrush in a cupboard, washing your cutting board with soap or leaving your TV remotes unwashed then you're making some serious cleaning mistakes.
According to Australian lifestyle and home expert, Melissa Penfold, these are just some of many crucial errors people been make when tidying their homes.
Everything from how we clean our windows to what we're doing with wet toilet brushes has been put under the microscope - and you might be surprised.
Ms Penfold told Homes to Love that a simple scrubbing brush and detergent combination isn't enough to prevent cross-contamination when washing a chopping board
1. Don't use regular detergent on cutting boards
It's likely you'll be cooking with different proteins and vegetables when you whip up tonight's dinner, and everyone knows the rule of thumb is to wash your chopping board in between.
But Ms Penfold told Homes to Love that a simple scrubbing brush and detergent combination isn't enough to prevent cross-contamination in this case.
What need to do is soak the board in a bleach solution in between dicing your chicken and broccoli, and that will ensure you're being food safe in the kitchen.
2. Don't keep your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet
It might seem like a germ-free environment because its hidden away from dust and the toilet, but placing your toothbrush in dark areas can have unhygienic consequences.
The lack of light, according to Ms Penfold, encourages bacterial growth.
It's actually more hygienic to leave the brush out on the sink, but ensure you close the toilet lid when you flush.
It's actually more hygienic to leave your toothbrush out on the sink, but ensure you close the toilet lid when you flush
3. Don't wash your windows when it's sunny
You still need to clean your windows in summer, but the expert said it's important to hose them down when it's cloudy outside.
'The heat will cause your window cleaner to dry before you can finish cleaning, leaving streaks in its wake,' she said.
4. Always clean your TV remotes
More than one person picks up the remote each day and yet we hardly ever think to clean them.
Ms Penfold said this is a huge mistake and they need to be given a good wipe down with disinfectant every week.
The same goes for other frequently touched areas like handles, taps, your computer keyboard and door knobs.
More than one person picks up the remote each day and yet we hardly ever think to clean them
5. Don't put a wet toilet brush away immediately
When doing this job you'll likely reach straight for the toilet brush and disinfectant, but don't just stick it back in the holder as soon as you're finished.
'Set it across the seat so it can drip-dry over the bowl before putting it away for good,' she said.
This prevents it from growing bacteria when you put it back in the holder.
6. Always clean your reusable shopping bags
We tend to forget that our reusable bags are made of fabric and therefore do require a wash every now and again.
Particularly if they have lingering food bacteria on them.
You can wash them like a standard fabric or cloth in the washing machine, just ensure they are inside out.
You still need to clean your windows in summer, but this expert wants us to hose them down when it's cloudy outside
7. Don't use a circular motion to clean with a sponge
Cleaning expert Melissa Maker, who runs the website Clean My Space, was adamant that this is the worst way to remove dirt.
'All you're doing is moving the dirt from one area to the next. When you clean in an "S" pattern (left to right, slowly moving down the surface) you're actually moving the dirt away and end up with a clean surface,' she explained.
The circular motion only works if you're trying to buff a surface.
8. Always clean blender blades separately
It's not enough to swish some hot water and detergent around in your blender.
After making a smoothie you must remove the blades and wash them separately to prevent gunk from building up.
The same advice should be followed for electric can openers too.
'Set it across the seat so it can drip-dry over the bowl before putting it away for good,' she said
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