If you were asked to take a guess on the dirtiest places in your home, it’s likely you’d go for the toilet or dustbin and, as a result of these choices, you’re likely to be extremely surprised to learn the real harbourers of germs and bacteria…

The Kitchen Sink
Although you’re probably more than happy to eat anything that you’ve accidentally dropped in the sink – i.e. a tomato you were washing for a salad – it could actually be safer to eat it out of your toilet bowl.

Your kitchen sink serves as a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The food particles that remain after washing dirty plates or leaving them to soak can result in the development of illness-causing bacteria including E. coli and salmonella.

So why is you toilet likely to be safer to eat from than your kitchen sink? Well, because the majority of people take steps to sterilise their toilets regularly, whereas the kitchen sink gets a quick rinse with water and it’s assumed they’re clean, and generally, they’re not.

In order to keep your sink clean and free from bacteria, it’s recommended to wash it once a day with a bleach and water solution and to let the solution run down the drain so that’s also clean.

Remember to protect your skin when using bleach and other potentially irritating cleaners.

Toothbrush
The fact is, the majority of people consider their toothbrush to be clean because they use it to clean their mouths. However, as well as all the bacteria that your toothbrush collects from your mouth, bacteria from around the room accumulates on your brush too.

After each toothbrush use, you’re likely to leave it damp, providing a haven for bacteria that like a moist area to grow. You also need to be aware of toilet germs that linger in the air. Every time you flush the toilet it sends a spray of bacteria into the air. These germs can hove in the air for up to two hours before settling on surfaces, including your toothbrush.

To keep your toothbrush as clean and free from bacteria as possible, you should change it regularly – especially if you become ill – leave it somewhere it can dry out between brushes and, close the toilet seat before flushing to prevent unnecessary bacteria escaping into the air and settling on your toothbrush.