Sometimes ignorance is bliss. For example, the fact that our phone screens, which we touch on the daily and press up against our faces, have millions of bacteria is something that it can feel good toforget.

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Wearing your shoes inside the house after walking around all day stepping in who knows what.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Children, especially toddlers. I remember a pediatrics paramedic instructor once saying, “Forget aerosol sprays, just contaminate one ball in a preschool and that’s it.”

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

When people lick their finger before turning pages or counting out money.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Bored Pandagot in touch with the folks at Leaders Cleaning Services in New Zealand who have repeatedly gone viral onTikTokwith their cleaning videos. We wanted to hear their take on what can help motivate someone to start cleaning a particularly sizablemess.“If the area in your house looks very messy and overwhelming, first and foremost, I would suggest motivating yourself with #cleanwithme or #cleaningmotivation videos on popular platforms. We promise, these videos work wonders and always give you a kick. Secondly, I would recommend starting with the hardest area and finishing it, instead of spreading your attention across the overall mess and keeping your rubbish bag next to you.”

Bored Pandagot in touch with the folks at Leaders Cleaning Services in New Zealand who have repeatedly gone viral onTikTokwith their cleaning videos. We wanted to hear their take on what can help motivate someone to start cleaning a particularly sizablemess.

“If the area in your house looks very messy and overwhelming, first and foremost, I would suggest motivating yourself with #cleanwithme or #cleaningmotivation videos on popular platforms. We promise, these videos work wonders and always give you a kick. Secondly, I would recommend starting with the hardest area and finishing it, instead of spreading your attention across the overall mess and keeping your rubbish bag next to you.”

In 6th grade we were tasked with going around our school using a cotton swab to collect bacteria samples and seeing what grew on a Petri dish.People immediately went to the bathroom and began swabbing toilets, urinals, floors, sinks, etc. Turns out those were some of the cleanest places in the school. Those Petri dishes hardly grew anything.The dirtiest? In order: drinking fountain, phone receiver, and the inside of somebody’s mouth.The drinking fountain news reached parents and they demanded answers. Turns out the drinking fountain wasn’t properly cleaned since…ever? The janitors used a Stainless Steel Polish to clean it and that doesn’t really kill any bacteria.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Kitchen sponges.These things are gross. Likely one of the dirtiest things in your home.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Buffets. My husband needs a kidney transplant. Afterwards, he will be immunocompromised for life because of the anti-rejection d***s. They gave him a list of things he can’t do again after transplant, and eating at a buffet is on it. Even one that has a sneeze guard, even if it looks clean, even if it’s vegetarian. No more buffets, Jimmy.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

“If you have a bed, make the bed first; it gives you a feeling of accomplishment that you’ve already done a “significant” amount of cleaning (just tricking the mind). So once you’ve finished thearea, you could either continue next time with the rest, or most likely, this will keep the motivation going,” they shared.

Hand air dryers in restrooms. Those Dyson air blade ones are the worst apparently

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Flushing with the lid open

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

We also wanted to hear their take on the topic here, of items that are a lot dirtier than one might expect. “Everyone is different; in my opinion, the most neglected things are handles and light switches. Toothbrush chargers are another big one, as well as anything very below or above eye level. If you pay attention to skirting boards, chair/table legs, toilet bases, or lighting/chandeliers, high shelves, and high mirrors, you’ll find that these things are not cleaned in a long time inmost houses. But that’s why people call us!”

The space behind your ears if you don’t specifically clean behind themu/Puzzleheaded-Bet1328In cosmetology school the amount of elderly people who came in with black gunk built up behing their ears.They really werent kidding when they said to not forget to wash behind your ears.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Many fountain soda dispensers and bar gun dispensers never get properly cleaned/sanitized and harbor molds, fungi and bacteria. Drink up!

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Hotel rooms

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

“But what we would like to note is that people worry most about cleaning the toilet, but actually, kitchen and bathroom sinks and tapware hold way more bacteria. These are what people disinfect properly less frequently. Definitely prioritize your sinks,” they shared with Bored Panda.

Cash

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Your phone screen is probably dirtier than a public toilet seat. Better start cleaning it regularly!

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Restaurant menus

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Bowling ball finger holes.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Books at the library and keyboards. Source: Used to work in a library.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Your keys, you never wash them, drop them a lot, use them with filthy hand… etc… and just think how often parents give them to their babies to play with.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

See Also on Bored Panda

Your keyboard. It’s hard to clean, and is used almost constantly

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Fast food ice

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

The condiment bottles at a restaurant.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Drinking from canned beverages without cleaning them off. You have no idea what’s been touching that can before it touches your lips.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Your steering wheel. Think of all the things you touch when you’re out and about then get back into your car and transfer it all to your steering wheel. Especially the gas pump.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Ladies, if you bring your bag inside the public bathroom stall with you, don’t set it down on the floor. Especially if it doesn’t have little metal feet(s).Many of us don’t realize how dirty the floors in bathroom stalls or public area’s actually are.In some cases, the floors are more bacteria ridden than the toilet seats.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Clean under your fingernails. Use an old toothbrush if you have to. Don’t use the same brush for both.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Door knobs

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

  1. the filters inside your dishwasher should be washed frequently. I wash/scrub mine once per week.2) the kitchen sink strainer/stopper can be disassembled and you can clean the upper part of the rubber stopper which will make you gag because it’s so scummy.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Movie theatre seats

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Here’s something no one thinks about - luggage. You’re dragging your suitcase, and maybe an attached tote bag, across sidewalks, floors, maybe airport bathrooms…then what? Handling them when putting them in the overhead bins on the airplane (which makes the bins pretty gross, too). I’m still shocked when I hear people say the set their luggage on the hotel bed. Airplane seats are gross, too. Nothing gets sanitized between flights, so there could be all kinds of germs on the armrests, tray tables, etc. I’ve seen people put their bare feet on the tray tables! The other day as we were deplaning, the girl next to me got up and her seat was wet from crotch sweat.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

That coffee pot/ keurig at work. No, they don’t clean it, they only remove the old pods.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Your belt because you tighten it right after taking a dump before you even have the opportunity to wash your hands

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Wearing shoes indoors especially on carpets

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

Escalator hand rails. They NEVER get cleaned, ever.

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don’t Realize Are Gross

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