About to begin spring cleaning but don’t quite know where to start?

It can be a chore as it involves lots of time and determination, to ensure that no areas are overlooked. Items such as your cutting boards and shaver are often seen as being clean enough. But how often do you get rid of them?

Here are 10 surprising things that you should be replacing this Chinese New Year.

Sponges

Sponges are used for keeping stoves and cutleries clean, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. An old sponge might be spreading more dirt than removing it. On average, there are more than 10 million germs on a sponge per square meter.

So, if you use a sponge daily, don’t forget to replace it every week, or slightly longer, depending on how frequent you use your sponge. Also, if you are using the sponge to scrub the toilet, throw it away immediately.

Cutting boards

Be it wood or plastic – one thing is certain. Over time, cutting boards become a large germ battlefield. Meat and vegetable residues will turn mouldy, no matter how well you clean them. Although there is no fixed lifespan for cutting boards, deeps cut marks are a good indicator to say goodbye to them.

Dishtowels

Do you dry your hands with the dishtowel and place it back wet? This is how hidden germs are formed! According to this study, 89% of all towels are contaminated with E. coli, causing e.g. gastric diseases. Bacteria can spread perfectly in these cozy cottons due to the high moisture content. So replace your dishtowels once a week and wash it at 60 degrees.

Pillows

A comfortable pillow is necessary for a relaxing sleep. But loose hair strands, dried skin and sweat that seeps into the pillow – this creates a nutritious place for mites despite the protection of the pillowcase. Dispose of your pillow at least once every three years.

You can extend the lifespan by washing it every three months at 60 degrees in the fine washing program.

Shaving razor blades

Are you one of those people who store the razor in the shower? You might want to rethink your storage. The humidity, hair residues and foam makes the environment conducive for the spreading of mold. Replace the blades every two weeks – or earlier when they get rusty or blunt.

Our tip: Hang up the shaver on a holder where it is dry because no moisture = no germs!

Bar of soap

A bar of soap is a necessity that ensures clean hands? This is not necessarily true. Germs like to breed on wet environments, such as wet soaps. Even after 48 hours, there are still microorganisms on it, including pathogens. Our advice? Make use of two different bars of soap. While one bar of soap is drying, you can use the other one. When the soaps harden, bacteria have zero chance for reproduction.

⇒ Related Read: The Swap From Bottled Body Wash to Bar Soap

Toothbrush

Brushing our teeth twice a day – this belongs to our personal hygiene. Unfortunately, it does not translate to cleanliness. Did you know? Millions of bacteria can spread causing gastric diseases, just by the use of one toothbrush alone. Replace your toothbrush every three months and throw it away immediately after a cold. This is how you can prevent a new infection.

⇒ Related Read: How to Choose the Right Toothbrush

Contact lenses case

Do you carefully place your lenses every night before going to sleep thinking they will be clean when you wear them in the day? According to a study, more than half of these examined cases were contaminated with fungi and bacteria.

This is because bacteria can survive in the moisturised, contact lenses’ solution, for a long time. This means that bacteria can mature on the lenses and then on the eye. It is therefore important to exchange the cases every month to ensure a germ-free view.

⇒ Related Read: Contact Lenses for Children: What Age Can They Start

Toiletbrush

There is no determined lifespan of a toilet brush. But you should still change it after six months. Otherwise, you might risk spreading bacteria with the used brush instead of scrubbing them away. Our secret: fill the holder of your toilet brush with a mixture of water and toilet cleaner when it is being stored away. Additionally, the brush cleans your toilet with the cleanser when you use it.

This article is contributed by Helpling.

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