I'll admit, I'm not a neat freak, but I do like to keep things at my house as clean as possible. I'm just not fanatical about it. There, I've said it. So when I saw an article on reviewed.com about the 10 dirtiest items in your house, I wasn't even sure if I even wanted to look at it. But I did, and boy was I grossed out. But on the upside, they also have some solutions on how to clean these oh so dirty things. Happy cleaning, friends!

  • Remote Control. Just remember, everyone in your house touches these. Remove the batteries from the back, and clean with a lint free cloth dipped in alcohol.
  • Carpets. Vacuum once a week, and have professionally steam cleaned every year.
  • Pillows. Check the manufacturers instructions first. If they are washable, throw them in your machine with one cup baking soda and two cups of detergent.
  • Door Knobs. Clean with a solution of ½ cup of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt.
  • Kitchen Sponge. Put in the top rack of the dishwasher, or soak in vinegar or a diluted bleach solution for about 5 minutes. Or you could just throw it away and buy another one at the dollar store.
  • Cutting Boards. Extremely harmful when not cleaned properly, and they cause up to 1.2 million illnesses every year in the United States. For wooden boards clean with vinegar after being wiped down with soap and water. For plastic boards soak in 4 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent, and 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide overnight. Then rinse and dry.
  • Pet Toys. Harboring mold, yeast and other bacteria is no way to keep Fido healthy. Soak in one part water and one part white vinegar, and then run them through the dishwasher.
  • Kitchen Sink. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a ¼ cup of lemon juice, wipe over entire sink and let sit overnight.
  • Toothbrushes. First of all, ALWAYS close the lid when you flush the toilet. That should give you some kind of indication of how many germs are potentially on this item that you put into your mouth 3 times a day. Replace every three months, or sooner if you are sick.
  • Coffee Maker. If you really want a clean pot, drop a denture tablet in the tank. Fill as usual, brew, discard, repeat.

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