Germs, bacteria and viruses, there isn’t a single place on Earth where these microscopic organisms can’t be found, including your home. Most people are more worried about catching something nasty in public, but unbeknownst to them, your place of residence is a hotspot for these tiny organisms. So, if you’re a hypochondriac, do yourself a favor and keep reading to learn about the dirtiest things and places in your home. You’d be surprised what made the list! 

1. Faucet handles

Those of us who have a thing for staying clean always wash our hands after using the bathroom. Unfortunately, in order to do that, you must touch the faucet handles (unless you have those fancy sensory faucets). Now imagine multiple people touching that same faucet. See how easy it is for germs to thrive and spread there? We’re talking an estimated 2,786 bacteria on a bathroom faucet handle per square inch. And nearly 27% of bathroom sinks test positive for mold and even staph. So, make sure to clean them every day with bleach or disinfectant.

2. Cutting Boards

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then the cutting board is probably one of your go to items. You should know though, that they’re constantly exposed to a variety of bacteria, be it from raw meat, fruits or vegetables. If they aren’t properly maintained, cutting boards on average can habor 18% coliform bacteria and 14% yeast and mold. The grossest part is that you’re more likely to find fecal matter on a cutting board than a toilet seat. As mentioned above, a mixture of bleach and water is your best chance of eradicating those germs.

3. Remote Control

The remote is another object in your home that goes through a lot of hands, both kids and adults alike. It rarely occurs to us as we’re reaching for it to change the channel just how filthy it could be. And let’s be honest, most of us are guilty of not disinfecting the remote as often as we should. It’s been proven in a study nearly 55% of remotes tested contain not only mold but yeast as well. Remember to sanitize your remote ever so often, even if you live alone.

4. Toothbrush Holders

Here’s a question for you: when was the last time you cleaned or changed your toothbrush holder? Your answer was most likely “I don’t know,” wasn’t it? Well, just so you know, your toothbrush isn’t the only thing in that holder. There are, on average, 2,465,876 bacterial organisms on its surface including mold, yeast, staph and coliform that eventually make their way to your toothbrush. Let’s not forget its close proximity to the toilet increases the chances of fecal matter contamination. 

5. Dish Sponges

If you thought toothbrush holders were gross, then wait till you learn about dish sponges. Can you believe that it’s one of the dirtiest items in your house? Pretty ironic for an item that’s used to clean your dishes. For every gram of your sponge, you could be sure to find an estimated 321,629,869 microorganisms – staph, Salmonella, E. coli, yeast and mold to name a few. That’s not all. Dish sponges are heavily contaminated with fecal matter, way more than you’d expect on a bathroom faucet. That’s why you should ditch the sponge every two weeks or let it soak in a bowl of water and some bleach.