If anything, the COVID-19 Pandemic has really driven home the importance of good hygiene. Many of us have bought more bottles of hand sanitiser than ever before, and that’s not a bad thing! Hand sanitisers contain ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or often both, killing bacteria and viruses that end up contaminating our hands as we work our way through the day, touching a variety of different objects and surfaces.
Here at JDK Cleaning, we have always understood why sanitisation is so vital to our collective health and wellbeing. It’s a no-brainer! So, seeing hand sanitisation stations and signs readily available in most places has filled us with glee, but it has also made us think, “Why wasn’t this here pre-pandemic?”
To us, it makes perfect sense to sanitise before and after shopping or eating at a restaurant.
Whilst we’re very aware of the germs and bacteria on our hands, we may not think about the viral contamination present on many of the handheld objects we use daily. Mobile phones, keyboards, car keys, and even our purses can pose a significant bacterial threat. Yet, because we are used to handling these so often, we completely overlook sanitising them.
Here are the five things you use every day, that should be regularly sanitised.
1. Wallet / Purse
Every time we go out, chances are we take our wallets or purses with us. We get them out inside shops, place them on counters when paying for items, or put them on tables when enjoying a bite to eat or a drink. All of this means that each day, our wallets and purses are exposed to copious amounts of bacteria. They could even carry these germs from shop to shop, and from shop to home.
Hiding in plain sight, wallets and purses can act as a Trojan Horse, sneaking bacteria into your home and workplace.
To tackle this invisible invasion, get into the habit of sanitising your wallet or purse after leaving every shop, or leaving from work to home. All you’ll need is an antibacterial wipe or two, to minimise any present bacteria.
2. Mobile Phones
These days, almost everyone has a mobile phone. Mobile phones are so integral to our lives, so much so that there are serious debates about whether we can become addicted to them!
It’s no wonder then, that bacteria thrive in the nooks and crannies of our smartphones. Statistics show that the average smartphone user picks up their phone around 150 times per day. Couple that with unsanitised fingers tapping the screens, and you’ve got a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty germs. Imagine tiny green dots sat on your phone screen or buttons.
They may be invisible to the naked eye, but viral pathogens and bacterial particles are most likely present on your smartphone. Easily transferred to and from your fingers, they adhere themselves to your ears and cheeks when taking phone calls, and contaminate surfaces when left resting. It might surprise you to know that mobile phones have actually been proven to be dirtier than a toilet bowl!
So, next time you pick up your phone, remember this and give it a thorough wipe down with a wipe. You can even buy specific screen wipes for mobile phones to effectively target that grime without smudging your screen.
3. House Keys & Car Keys
Every time you leave your home for work, shopping or a social outing, these keys are what you’ll interact with first. Wherever you go, you’ll need to use these keys on a daily basis, making them a hotspot arena for germs.
After your ventures out, you’ll have to touch these keys again to get into your car or your house. See where we’re going with this? Bacteria can survive for days on a metallic surface, so even if you wash your hands when you get home, a whole host of bacteria will still be waiting for you when you pick up your keys in the morning.
It’s so important to get yourself into the habit of wiping down your keys with an anti-bacterial wipe after each use or scrub them down with some diluted disinfectant and pop them on a paper towel to dry. This keeps your keys clean and your hands safe from potential contamination. A quick wipe down or spray spritz and it's goodbye bacteria!
4. Steering Wheel & Gear Stick
We’re sticking with the car theme here! Even if your car keys are clean, safe and sanitised, the first things you’ll touch after entering your vehicle are the steering wheel and the gear stick. We have prolonged contact with these when we drive, giving germs a greater opportunity to transfer from our hands to these objects, or vice versa.
Keep a travel pack of anti-bacterial wipes in your car and try to get into the habit of wiping down your steering wheel & gear stick before and after each journey. Not only will this help to keep bacteria at bay, but it’ll also make your car smell fresh and look clean! The glove box is a perfect place to keep these items with you on the go.
5. Keyboard
Last but by no means least, it’s the dreaded keyboard! Whether you’re working from home or using stationary office equipment, keyboards are the favourited place for germs to congregate. Looking past all the obvious messes we find in keyboards (crumbs of food, dust, sticky keys), there are a number of invisible nasties just waiting to latch on to our fingertips. Simple things like handling paperwork that other people have touched and then typing an email or picking up your coffee cup before your next task - all of these things encourage the spread of bacteria.
If you have a detachable keyboard, unplug it before you start work and every evening after you finish work, and give it a thorough clean. Focus on each key as well as the spaces in between the keys, removing any food residue and dust particles. After all of this is done, go back over the keyboard with an anti-bac wipe to thoroughly sanitise it.
If you have a laptop, either lock the keyboard so you don’t accidentally type anything while you’re cleaning, or shut it down and perform the above cleaning method.
We could go on for hours about all of the things you should be cleaning, but these are the five most important things you will encounter multiple times a day. Some of this advice may sound excessive, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
If you have a large scale cleaning project that you need professional advice on, then please do not hesitate to contact the experts at JDK Cleaning. We’re here to help, and we’re always happy to speak to new customers!
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