RICHMOND, Va -- When you think about the dirtiest places in your home, the bathroom is probably among the first rooms that come to mind. You may also know the kitchen is one of the biggest offenders.
Within your kitchen, though, are places health experts say have even more germs than even your trash can and your toilet: the counter tops, the sink, and the faucet.
The reason: in the case of the faucet, you often turn it off and on with your dirty hands. Most people forget to clean the faucet after doing that.
While you're cleaning your kitchen, you may also be contributing to the spread of germs because of a tool you use to clean: the sponge. Lab tests have found the sponge is not just the germiest item in your kitchen -- it actually is the dirtiest thing in the average house. So, when you use it to clean the counter tops and sink, you spread those germs.
To get your sponge clean, you can either put it in the microwave for two minutes, or put it in the dishwasher.
Even the cleanest of people often miss another spot: the stove top's knobs, and underneath those knobs. Raw food often splashes onto them. Those can be cleaned in hot, soapy water.
Lastly, a morning staple: the coffee machine. The coffee pot often gets cleaned, but the machine's water reservoir also should be cleaned regularly. You can do that by flushing it out with white vinegar. The coffee machine should go through two or three cycles after that before being used to brew coffee again.
Finally, the water should be cleared out of the water reservoir after every serving of coffee.
