Here's How Often You Need To Clean Your Door Handles

Have you ever thought about what areas in your home you accidentally neglect when you're cleaning? Bacteria and germs are everywhere; we touch them, we carry them, and we spread them. They are a part of life, and we simply cannot escape them.

Door handles are one of the most neglected areas at home when it comes to cleaning. If you saw with your own eyes what bacteria and germs linger on surfaces such as doorknobs, your skin would crawl. According to Conservation Construction of Dallas, door handles are one of the top five dirtiest objects in a home, and there are an average of five different bacteria living on your doorknobs at any point. They are one of the fastest ways that bacteria and viruses spread. You touch door handles multiple times a day without even thinking twice about it. Most people aren't washing their hands each time they open or close a door, but taking those 30 seconds to do so is important. Hand washing after touching door handles can greatly lower the risk of picking up germs.

You probably don't clean the door handles in your home as often as you should, but it's time to start. Whether in a public area or at home, door handles are a happy home for bacteria; it just is what is. Even if you're someone who lives alone, it's important to disinfect your door handles as often as possible, especially after having guests over. According to Conservation Construction of Dallas, one of the ways the common cold is spread is by the bacteria from door handles. Especially living in a pandemic, you should be sanitizing your doorknobs more than ever. According to NBC News, viruses, soil, fungi, bacteria, animal dander, pollen, sweat, and skin cells occupy your space on a daily basis. So, how often should you be sanitizing your doorknob? 

You should wipe down the door handles of each room in your home at least once a week because bacteria accumulates, says NBC News. You can use a spray disinfectant or disinfectant wipes. Just make sure the door handle is completely covered in disinfectant. It's a quick and easy process that protects you, your family, and your friends.