15 Things You Touch Every Day That Are Crawling with Germs

This post may contain affiliate links.

Most people focus on washing their hands and cleaning obvious surfaces. However, many everyday items we interact with harbor more germs than expected.

Understanding which items are potential breeding grounds for bacteria can help you proactively keep yourself and your environment germ-free. Be wary of these 15 things you touch that are crawling with germs.

Door Handles

Door handles, for instance, are hot spots where germs tend to collect since they are touched by many people throughout the day. Door handles act as bacteria transfer gates in homes, offices, and other communal areas. It is good to carry out daily cleaning with a disinfectant to reduce the presence of germs.

Keyboards

A keyboard can have more bacteria than a toilet seat, especially since it is not cleaned as often and used all the time. Food and other particles can get between the keys as you type, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Follow general guidelines to reduce the number of germs and use compressed air & disinfectant wipes on keyboards.

Light Switches

Light switches are one of the things we touch multiple times a day, and they are often forgotten when it comes to cleaning. The spaces at the part of the switch work as a trap for dirt and microbes, which makes grim build-up here. Applying a disinfectant on all these surfaces can be helpful for both germaphobes and non-germaphobes.

Refrigerator Handles

The handles of our refrigerators are touched often. The bacteria is all over your fridge if you shop anywhere, especially after handling store-bought foods, meat, and poultry! Cells can harbor significant bacteria right prior to being touched and just as likely also after handling food. Proper sanitation of these handles is also vital to kitchen cleanliness.

Bathroom Faucets

Restroom faucets are constantly used and can develop into a hotbed of hazardous germs. Wet hands that touch the faucet multiple times can further lead to a damp atmosphere where bacteria thrive. Disinfecting is the most important step in sanitizing because it kills bacteria.

Remote Controls

When you think about how many hands touch them, remote controls are not the first thing that crosses your mind while cleaning. Easy with antibacterial wipes, which will help battle some of the germs that love to land there, building up over time.

Shopping Cart Handles

Thousands of people use shopping carts at supermarkets each day, and thus, their handles contain a lot of germs and bacteria. They touch dirty hands, edibles, or leaky items. Sanitizing wipes for wiping off handles at stores is pretty common now.

Wallets

Wallets are touched often and sat down on many surfaces, so they carry lots of germs. People touch money, cards, and paper receipts that may be contaminated with bacteria. Applying a disinfectant wipe is all you need to do to eliminate germs from your wallets.

ATMs

People put their (usually dirty) fingers on ATM buttons, accumulating bacteria and germs over time. While they make carrying out a crucial transaction very easy, due to the bacteria always existing on it, it again is automatically passed to the next user. The risk is minimized by the use of hand sanitizer after use.

Gas Pump Handles

These have bacteria from many users. They are not cleaned frequently at all, and since different hands move in and out of them constantly, it is no surprise that germs find their way to those high-contact areas. After the pump, hand sanitizer can prevent germ transfer.

Kitchen Sponges

12 Things You Should Be Cleaning Every Day from Now On — Photo Credit: Pexels

Kitchen sponges are well-known as cellulose cleaning materials commonly supposed to be soaked through and moistened, which in alternative cases often relates to becoming enclosed within the vilest form of bacteria. Even though their purpose is to clean, they can grow bacteria if not replaced or sanitized.

Elevator Buttons

Elevator buttons are like ATMs (you interact with them so frequently), yet few times do they catch the eyes of cleaners. Individuals then use them with hands other than their own, which may mean that many fingers pass over them, making these items potential carriers of passing bacteria. Use a knuckle or tissue to serve as a barrier against hand contact.

Toothbrush Holders

Because toothbrush holders are subject to water and toothpaste residue, as well as the germs that float around a bathroom all day, every day, they can get pretty germy. Toothbrush holders are full of humidity and bacteria from toothbrushes, making cleaning a must if you want to maintain hygiene in your bathroom.

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Everybody uses them, either in a restaurant or dining at home. Most don’t stop to think how often these are touched by hands all day long before they get wiped clean if cleaned. They can gather flesh from their hands and produce leftovers on the dinner table. Damp wipe frequently to help prevent germs.

Handrails

Photo Credit: Ekaterina_Minaeva/Shutterstock

Handrails that are publically accessible or in the workplace receive great wear and tear and often act as reservoirs for pathogens. Many hands are to blame for the bacteria that lurk in the staircases and public transportation. Sanitizing hands after use minimizes the passage of germs onto other surfaces.