Spring Cleaning: 11 Germ Traps To Clean Today

If you've shaken off the dust bunnies and scrubbed the floors, you're off to a good start at your spring cleaning, but there are some often-overlooked places that need a thorough scrub-down, too.

And for greater reasons than simply relishing in that feeling of accomplishment when the garage is finally organized and you could practically eat off the bathroom floor (please, don't actually try that at home!).

The germs lurking in these sneaky places at home, at the gym and in the office can truly threaten your health. Luckily, one of the best ways to prevent problems is also the easiest: wash your hands.

Click through the slideshow below to see the sneaky places you don't want to forget to spring clean.

For more on personal health, click here.

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Comments

[jane2522]

12:51 AM on 03/27/2012

Actually, the purse, cell phones, and, computer mouse are the ones that I'm concerned about the most.

[cozycall]

12:46 AM on 03/27/2012

I have been refilling the same two plastic water bottles every day for over five years mabey even six or seven years I lost count but couldn't care less. I have never washed them, not one time sometimes I may quickly rinse one but very seldom. Until they crack or start to leak I will continue to use them I refuse to get worked up about nonsense.

[seajewel]

05:44 PM on 03/27/2012

That's disgusting.

[RobTheBl0gger2]

12:17 AM on 03/27/2012

Buy multiple water bottles, spray your reusable grocery bag with lysol after you empty and how are sponges dirty after you add the detergent? I'd figure that would kill off any bacteria growing on them. I tried to microwave them a few time but all that does is stink up the place.

[Harlee Cohn Mahmet]

04:57 AM on 03/27/2012

Wash the sponges in the dishwasher. I had one last nearly five months!

[sbsracer24]

11:41 PM on 03/26/2012

I grew up getting a drink of water from the spring in my yard using a hollowed out gourd that we stored hollow side down on a rock, with another rock holding it in place. The neighbor kids playing baseball or football all shared from the same gourd. Far as I know, we're ALL still alive 35 years later! If you live in a plastic bubble too long, one trip outside the bubble will kill you! Jeez!

[Smith1954]

12:34 AM on 03/27/2012

I'm 57 and still going strong...germs in plastic bottles? can't imagine the horror some of the posters on here would feel to hear that during the summer we never went in the house for a drink of water, just drank straight out of the garden hose. Still can't figure how we as a species survived so long before we knew every thing we do is likely to kill us...

[rbrady6925]

04:44 PM on 03/27/2012

Who are these wantobees who write about all these germs/bacteria that are going to kill us? Abd the terrible plastic bottles of water? Go away I have drunk water from plastic bottles for years...I recycle the bottles. What more does the world want.

[1ifhtims]

11:26 PM on 03/26/2012

I just make a rule to throw my water bottle in the dishwasher everytime its run. At least that way you are not obsessing over it, but it gets washed regularly.

[susanherna121377]

10:18 PM on 03/26/2012

We reuse water bottles all of the time. But, i fill them with warm water and a little bleach and let them set for several hours. I then empty them and wash them out good before I refill them with the FRESH natural water from our own well!

[Skumozi]

02:24 AM on 03/27/2012

Natural water?

[Mark Helfgott]

10:12 PM on 03/26/2012

Thanks for giving me even more things to worry about!

[designsplus1]

09:20 PM on 03/26/2012

Never thought of using a material shower curtain without a vinyl one. I'll try it.

[designsplus1]

09:15 PM on 03/26/2012

I throw my sponges in the dishwasher or washing machine in a fishnet bag and bleach it. Why through it away when you can get out the germs! I never leave it on the sink after I use it. I always wash it.

[1ifhtims]

11:25 PM on 03/26/2012

That is a good idea I am going to try. I have been putting my wet sponges in the microwave to kill some of the bacteria, but yours sounds like a better idea.

[twinpossible]

09:13 PM on 03/26/2012

Oh my...I go ages sometimes. I really forget, lol. So much in life going on..I wake up early, just fill it and start drinking. BLAH...I'm going to have to change THAT nasty habit!

Shelly

[tlmillard]

11:19 PM on 03/26/2012

Relax, your immune system will outlast the sickly immune system of all these germaphobes.

[Bluebell06]

08:33 PM on 03/26/2012

Please make sure to use a bottle brush in water bottles! I have been using a metal one, and was just washing it out with hot soapy water. Well, one day I just happened to look inside, and saw green mold!!! I went out right away, and bought a bottle brush!!!

[jimdrum78]

08:12 PM on 03/26/2012

Can't believe they actually have to tell this stuff to people. Knowing that people spend money to have people write this makes me feel ashamed to be part of the human race. NEWS FLASH...you should brush your teeth and shower or else your breath and body will stink!

[RobTheBl0gger2]

12:18 AM on 03/27/2012

Never assume that people are intelligent.

[jimdrum78]

08:50 AM on 03/27/2012

Normally I don't. I stopped doing that years ago. I believe I was assuming that people still had a shred of common sense left. I guess that's all gone today too. Soon we will have to remind people to feed themselves. I don't know when things started turning, but there used to be a time when people were independent, responsible for themselves, and used to make their own decisions. Seems like everyone needs to be told what to do in order to survive, and for some reason they like it that way!

[Darreltheman]

07:42 PM on 03/26/2012

Dishwashers do a great job cleaning them, also.

[Myriah007]

07:41 PM on 03/26/2012

anything I cannot bleach---- I trash it :-)

[360Dunk]

06:53 PM on 03/26/2012

They left out the old handshake....who knows where those hands have been?

[Darreltheman]

07:43 PM on 03/26/2012

"Only The Shadow knows". HEHEHEEH