7 (often forgotten) dirtiest areas of the home!

What’s the dirtiest area of your home? The floor? The toilet? 

In actual fact the dirtiest places of the home tend to be the commonly used places that are often overlooked during the day-to-day cleaning routine. These areas that get used on a daily basis could actually be the dirtiest and harbour the most bacteria!

Here are a few reminders of places in the home you may have missed in your general clean…

1. Light Switches, door knobs & handles  

Used everyday by everyone in the house! Keep these areas clean to prevent nasty colds and tummy bugs from spreading, particularly around this time of year.

  

2. Kitchen sponge

The kitchen sponge gets used everyday to wipe down surfaces, clean up spills and wash dishes, but you don’t have to start with a new one each week – most can be put in the dishwasher or thrown in the washing machine with the tea towels.

3. Remote Control

The lounge is spotless, the cushions are plumped and the TV is gleaming, but what about the remote control? You might want to give those germy buttons a wipe before the next movie night. Popcorn anyone?

4. Computer keyboard & mouse

We all like to snack at the computer, but make sure you clean the keys and mouse thoroughly in your regular clean or germs will build up and can easily be transferred to your mouth!

5. Kitchen sink & drain 

Left over food stuck in the drain can spread germs back up the plughole to where you’re washing your dishes, especially if it gets blocked or drains slowly. Make sure it’s kept clear, by pouring down a cup of Soda Crystals followed by a kettle of boiling water.

6. Telephone

Phones pick up grease, make up, hair, dead skin and all kinds of nasties, so make sure you wipe the buttons as well as the ear and mouth piece thoroughly.

7. Bin

You empty the bin on a regular basis, but spills and splits in bin liners can lead to a very stinky, bacteria ridden area of the kitchen. Make sure you wipe any part of the bin you touch and rinse out the inside of the bin with a regular Soda Crystals solution whenever you can. Sprinkling a cup of Bicarbonate of Soda in the bottom of the bin will also help to absorb smells.

Spring Clean for Outdoors!

With spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get a head start on preparing your outdoor areas ready for the beautiful British summer! Mossy driveways and decking, blocked outside drains and grubby patio furniture can seem like daunting tasks to tackle, luckily there’s an easy, cost effective solution to these jobs that doesn’t involve back-breaking work or harsh chemicals! Old fashioned Soda Crystals aren’t just a versatile cleaning product for indoors, they have a multitude of uses outdoors too!

A patio covered in moss looks unsightly and could cause a slip hazard if it has rained, but in actual fact the rain could help you to get rid of the slippery green stuff! Simply sprinkle Soda Crystals on the ground before rain is expected (if rain doesn’t materialise use a watering can to wet the crystals). Leave the resulting paste for a day or two and you will be able to brush or scrape away the brown debris easily. If you do this at the beginning and end of winter, your drives and patios should be moss-free throughout the year! Similarly using Soda Crystals on wooden decking in the spring is ideal. Not only does it get rid of moss and leaves, but also helps in the preparation of the wood, stripping old varnish ready for a spring coating!

Soda Crystals can also be used to remove old dirt and grime from plastic patio furniture. Simply with spray Liquid Soda Crystals or apply a regular Soda Crystals solution to the affected area, and leave to work on the dirt and grime for half an hour. Then simply wipe away with a clean cloth and water. This will effectively remove any lingering stains without excessive elbow grease.

When clearing an outdoor drain blockage, simply pour a bag of Soda Crystals down the offending drain, add a litre of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes. This will allow the Sodas Crystals to dissolve any built up grease, and break down any other deposits. Then simply flush out the drain with a bucket of hot water and the drain is clear! Unlike some heavy-duty chemical drain unblockers, Soda Crystals are not caustic or corrosive, and are bio-degradable.

Soda Crystals and Liquid Soda Crystals are available from supermarkets and independent stores. For further information on the uses of Soda Crystals around the home and garden, visit www.dri-pak.co.uk