Surprising germ hot spots in your home

Did you know that your dirty laundry can get even dirtier after you wash it? It’s true. Your washing machine can harbor dangerous germs and bacteria that can end up on your clothes.

Another germ hot spot in your home that you probably don’t know about: Your bathroom shower heads. Studies have shown that many of us have shower heads that are teeming with bacteria. The good news? Two fairly inexpensive and basic cleaning supplies can help keep dangerous pathogens at bay in these germ hot spots — and others around your home!

Applying vinegar is an amazingly cheap (and nontoxic!) way to clean many kitchen and household surfaces. Diluted vinegar works well to banish everything from soap scum to those irritating mineral deposits. It also can help to keep your showerheads clean.

Bleach is another time-honored home sanitation tool. When you consider that a wash load of underwear could have a million-plus count of fecal bacteria, it’s so cool that the chlorine in household beach kills these harmful bacteria for just pennies per application.

Color-safe bleach alternatives also possess some very potent germicides. When you wash your pillows and blankets with these solutions you can rest a little easier knowing your home is harboring a lot less pathogens. Just remember to always keep bleach and other strong cleansing agents out of the reach of children. Want to learn more about the surprising places in your homes that germs like to lurk? Check out this slide show.