Dirtiest items in your home from TV remotes to coasters

An interior expert has warned that these common household items that we often forget to give a good scrub could be harbouring bacteria.

Millions of bacteria could be found on items such as TV remotes, lamp shades and coasters if they aren’t cleaned regularly and with the right products.

To combat this, experts are now urging Brits to keep on top of cleaning these household items to prevent germs from spreading around the home.

Nic Shacklock from Online-Bedrooms.co.uk said: “We all presume a simple clean and polish every now and again means our homes are clean, but this isn’t the case.

“There’s also all of the other places that we forget to clean often like our light switches and TV remotes.

"We’re constantly touching these things with our hands which means it's possible they could harbour more germs than we think.

“We’ve identified a range of items in the home which we’re encouraging people to start cleaning in order to keep their homes clean.”

What are the dirtiest items in the house?

Here are nine of the dirtiest items in your house that often get overlooked, according to the interior experts.

TV remotes

Remotes are handled all the time, and they can hold millions of bacteria when touched throughout the day.

Make sure to wipe them down at least once a day and to clean any dirt that gets between the buttons.

Light switches

Make sure to wipe down all light switches when you do your weekly clean.

The constant flicking of the switch can cause them to be a germ haven.

Lamp shades

Lamp shades need regular dedusting on the exterior and around the lightbulb.

Make sure to keep on top of this otherwise accumulated dust can pose a fire risk.

Every few weeks put oven gloves in the washing machine or a bowl of hot, soapy water to get rid of any grease that may have accumulated from handling oven trays. ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

Oven gloves

Every few weeks put oven gloves in the washing machine or a bowl of hot, soapy water to get rid of any grease that may have accumulated from handling oven trays.

If left unclean, it could cause bacteria to linger on the trays and contaminate food.

Wardrobes

Check inside your wardrobes for any dirt on the ground and wipe down the handles.

Make sure to also clean the back wall of a wardrobe, as well as coat hangers for extra cleanliness.

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Shower mats

If you have a damp smell in your bathroom there’s a high chance it’s coming off the shower mat.

Put them in the wash along with your towels and hang them up on your shower rail after using them.

Coasters

A wipe of a coaster to get rid of the ring leftover from a glass isn’t enough to keep it clean.

You’ll need to give it a proper scrub every month to clean any bacteria that gets pushed down from glasses being on top of the surface.

Door handles are touched endlessly throughout the day and are a breeding ground for bacteria. ( Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

Extractor Fans

The fumes from cooking go through extractor fans, and a build-up of oil can make them full of dirt over time.

Give them a wipe-down every couple of weeks to prevent this.

Door handles

Door handles are touched endlessly throughout the day and are a breeding ground for bacteria.

Next time you’re cleaning your home make a conscious effort to clean these.