Photobucket


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Your sink is dirtier than your toilet. Yummy.

VOM.  A long time ago I watched an Oprah Show (RIP) about where germs breed in your house and how to eliminate them.  It was highly disturbing to say the least.  While I do joke about living in a crack den (which, half the time is true), I truthfully can't stand a filthy house. 

Some of the advice from the show I adapted to my everyday life, but I forgot about a lot of it so I researched the tips.  I figured I'd share with you bargainistas.  Could your house be making you sick?

To get my kitchen sink clean (which is dirtier than your toilet), I like to use Comet.  I'm guilty of not disinfecting my sink nearly enough, but when I do, Comet is the bomb.

It disinfects while it cleans and all you have to do is sprinkle a little onto a wet sink or tub, let it sit for a few seconds then scrub and rinse.  You can buy this at the $1 store. 

Dishrags and sponges: Clean them in a washing machine with bleach. No one should use a sponge for more than a month.  Actual sponges sick me the hell out.  However, I do love a dish wand sponge to clean dishes before putting in the dishwasher. 

My fave are the O-Cel-O brand because they have a non-stick version and they come in cute patterns.  I've bought mine at Wal-Mart in the past.

Trashcans should be sprayed with a disinfectant every time you empty it, and if you see any liquid, you should thoroughly wash it. 

Trash cans are so gross obviously.  I didn't start doing using disinfectant spray on them until I saw this Oprah show,  and now I have to every time I change the bag. I like Lysol disinfectant spray, which comes in different scents.
via
Air-dry everything. Dryness kills germs and prevents them from growing.  I do this anyway especially to save money on my electric bill.  Every time I wash my dishes, I stop the drying cycle, pull out the racks and let my dishes air dry over night. 
via

Dust mites: Vacuum your carpeting and drapery at a very high setting and wash your sheets on the hottest temperature setting.  Cold and warm water won't kill mites. I will DIE if I ever get dust mites. Literally die. 

Pillows functionally last 3 to 5 years. Just thinking of dust mites living in your pillow by the millions, eating your dead skin and hair should be enough to make you go get new pillows if your pillows are old.
 
I bought some awesome feather pillows from Ikea on the cheap about a year ago. I love them!  They have so many to choose from depending on what kind of a sleeper you are.
 
$14.99 Ikea - [BUY]

Stuffed animals: Vacuum weekly and/or throw them in the dryer at a high setting to kill germs.  I need to do this to all of my nephew's stuffed animals. I won't be vacuuming them, but hot dryer I can manage.
My neph & Elmo back when he was a wittle bebe.

"They" say disposable razors are only good for three uses. They become dull, knick your skin, and the old skin cells become a breeding ground for infection.  Razors are too expensive for me to throw out after only 3 uses, but once I feel like they are getting dull, I will toss them.
via
Are you thoroughly disgusted yet? Do you plan on kicking any dust mites out of bed now? Because I don't know about you, but I feel like I need a bath of bleach.

Read more here if you are so inclined.
Pin It

32 comments:

  1. this makes to realize i do not throughly clean my apt. and if there was to ever be a person from CSI come to my apt with a black light they would probably be disgusted. as would i. gross.

    i'm DEFINITELY gonna start doing that shizz to my dishes. but what if bugs crawl in my dishwasher? gross.

    and i will now wash my sheets on warm/warm from now on.

    as far as the razor thing goes. i'm ballin' on a budget and the pink disposable ones are all i use.

    p.s. did you know that you eat like 11 million bugs each year while you sleep?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ohhh man I do remember seeing that episode of Oprah! I was frrreaked out. Still am ha

    ReplyDelete
  3. I want to jump in a kiddie pool of clorox.

    But, I am thankful for your wisdom.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh gosh. This makes me want to run and clean everything right. now. And that's saying something because while I like a clean space, I HATE to actually do the cleaning.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ugh sick! I hate cleaning. But I hate a dirty house more. These are good tips. The one about disinfecting your trash can when you empty it something I never thought of. Thanks for the info!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hate cleaning too... ugh.. but comet is the absolute best! I use it on everything!

    Do Dallas Cheap

    ReplyDelete
  7. yup... officially thoroughly disgusted. I NEVER EVER disinfect my trash cans.

    bet your booty I am going home to wash my sheets on BURN YOUR FLESH hot though.

    oh and I did giggle at the comet because I thought this was going to be about the lady who eats comment from that "my strange addiction" show

    ReplyDelete
  8. this post totally came at the right time b/c now norway gets that addiction show and the comet lady was soo on air last night. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think I keep Comet in bizz. I guess you too.

    Um. yah. Dead skin in pillows and mattresses beyond grosses me out. We use the antimicrobal kind ... spensive but better than dust mites chillin'.

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is off topic (okay not too far off) but be sure you keep your toilet lid closed. It can spray water (and contents. vomit.) when it is "flushing"

    I now have a paranoid habit of closing people's toilets.

    serious.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Daughter Riggs,
    I guarantee you have dust mites, everyone does. Did you mean bed bugs?
    Besides keeping a clean house you need to think about your telephone. Did you know most cell phones have more bacteria, including staph, then toilet seats? There can be between 10-50 million bcacteria on your phone at any time - yikes think about holding your phone and then eating a french fry with the same hand!
    Did I gross you out?
    Love, Mom

    PS. Your grandma and I love Comet for cleaning sinks too, but we have not become addicted to it. Probably because we do not clean often enough either.

    PSS. Beth if you eat 11 million bugs while you sleep, what is one more on your dishes?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Siiiiick. First off, THANK YOU! I definitely learned a few things. Never thought about bleaching sponges in the washer. I always just toss them. Can I tell you how much I despise sponges? I use them but they are so nasty. And wow, I didn't even think to disinfect my trashcan!

    Thinking about anything microscopic that is growing or living in and on things in my house grosses me out!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you, but my skin is seriously itching right now from just thinking about what could be crawling around that I don't know about...and I am a really clean person!

    We like to use those dish brushes on our dishwasher and I just throw it in the dishwasher every so often to clean and sterilize it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You really should have title this post "Read When Hungry, You Cows". I might tape this to my fridge. I do the same thing with my dishwasher (although I run my sponges thru the dishwasher instead of the washing machine). I also keep dryer sheets at the bottom of my trashcans to deodorize and pick up any drips.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I do all those! Although with my sponges I pour boiling water over them every day to kill the germies. I love the smell of comet, weird, but hey it's a clean smell! I'm gonna go throw out my super old razor now... guilty!

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is exactly what I need a effing dishwasher! Damn LA doesn't have apts with dishwashers...literally none of my friends have them. SO gross!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I feel dirty just sitting in my apartment, and for that, I thank you. Lol, thank goodness I don't have to work tomorrow so I can clean this place from top to bottom :) Any help is appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Loved this. It makes me want to clean this very instant !

    ReplyDelete
  19. eek didnt realize so many things got so dirty!! thanks for the info =]

    ReplyDelete
  20. Comet is my friend. I use it on everything I can. Did not ever thikn of the whole stopping the dishwasher on the dry cycle.

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Totally just threw up a little in my mouth. Gross post friend... but I suppose that is my guilty consience talking!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Its a little OCD of me, but I vacuum my mattress at least once a month. I used to watch a British show called "How Clean Is Your House" and I remember one f the ladies mentioning that this guy's 10 year old mattress weighed about 25 lbs. That is some nasty dead skin pile up. Blechhhh! And I totally love me some Comet!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Razors are WAY to pricey to chuck after 3 uses. I wish. I use em till I feel like they don't shave close enough anymore.

    I saw a lot of this on Doctor Oz. Definitely needed the reminder though about the sheets though I have always washed everything in cold..lol

    ReplyDelete
  25. ew ew ew..yuck yuck yuck! lindsey you have opened my EYES!! even though I am mortified! hahah

    ok so i never knew that about air drying dishes...its so true though! water really does attract nastyness!

    and another thing..the loofas/body scrubber things. I saw on Dr. Oz that after 2 months, if you rip the frilly stuff off, the ball in the middle is all moldy and mildewey...EWWWWW

    for some reason i cannot picture you having a crackden. i picture your place being wicked neat and tidy! haha

    xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ick. This post grossed me out. Now I want to throw everything away and live naked in a plastic bubble. No germs can get me there, right? Haha

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ewwww I feel so itchy now...like I need to get up and clean!! Thx for the motivation ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. um, disGUSTING to what erica said about those loofahs. I can say one thing, I ALWAYS replace them AT LEAST every month, usually every 3 weeks. Those things GROSS me out. and you better bet that we have a his/hers loofah in our shower and is he ever tries to use mine I will FREAK!

    NO idea sinks were dirtier than toilets. That is gross. and since my dishwasher is broken and I wash ALL DISHES BY HAND I really don't have to worry about them not being airdryed, now do I?

    ADORABLE pic of Reese. I want to meet him.

    ReplyDelete
  29. OMG, why did I just read Beth's comment. I hope she's kidding about the bug eating thing.

    Comet is the bomb! I don't clean kitchen sinks, but I do use it for my bathroom. Its good, you already know that.

    xo SARMIN

    ReplyDelete
  30. g.r.o.s.s.

    I knew that kitchen sinks are the grossest of all.. but I'm still not that great about germ killing. I will definitely start trying harder.

    Such a good idea about the dishwasher! I will absolutely start letting mine air dry that way. Thanks for the tip!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Literally JUST threw out my razors after reading this. About to do more cleaning, now! Thanks for the inspiration :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. oh gosh, this just completely grossed me out ... eww, eww, eww ... thanks for all the tips because there are a few things on your list that i need to get done right this moment!!

    ReplyDelete