You think a toilet is the dirtiest thing on earth? Think again. You might be surprised to learn than everyday stuffs you carry around or stuffs you find at home can actually be dirtier than a toilet. Not all that appears to be dirty are indeed dirty (well, some of them at least) and not all that appears dirty are indeed dirty. Here’s our list of 10 dirtiest objects you see and touch everyday in no particular order.

1. Money

Paper bills and coins alike change hands every day. The longer they are in circulation, the dirtier they are. It is a common source of bacteria, dirt, grime, germs and everything in between. It is always a good idea to wash your hands when handling money or use a sanitizing gel if water and soap is not available.

2. Kitchen sinks

The sink contains millions of bacteria because small food particles, accumulate, especially in small nooks and crannies. Rotten food particles cling to sink pipes, which is a good breeding round for pathogens. Apart from washing our dirty dishes, almost everything seems to be washed in the sink.

3. Door handles

One of the most touched surfaces inside the house and even in other establishments is the door handles or a door knob. For this reason, flu and other viruses can spread anywhere if a contaminated person touches a single door knob.

4. Keyboard and mouse

Public computers such as those found in public libraries, airports, Internet cafes, offices and schools have the dirtiest keyboards and mice. Different people use this equipment and not many public computers get to be disinfected every after use. For this reason, communicable disease often spreads in schools and offices easily.

5. Cellphone

Sometimes, the first thing that we touch in the morning and the last one we touch at night is our cellphone. Apart from coming in contact with our hands, it also frequently comes in close proximity to our mouth, and we all know that the mouth is considered one of the dirtiest things on earth.

6. Kitchen sponge

Porous and wet most of the time, kitchen sponges often contain trapped food particles and dirt in between spaces. It is actually the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Here’s a quick fix, put your sponge in the microwave for 60 seconds to kill bacteria (and the odor too).

7. Shopping carts

Shopping carts, especially the handles, contain bacteria, saliva, dirt and even fecal matter more than public restrooms. Even a recent study confirms that shopping carts can also the harmful E. coli bacteria, which can easily spread with raw poultry juices contaminating grocery carts.

8. ATMs

Hundreds and even thousands of people use ATMs everyday. ATMs come in contact with money and dirty fingers push numerical pads and buttons almost every few minutes. Need we say why it is considered one of the dirtiest?

9. Light switches

Unless your light is remote controlled, then touching a light switch is one of the dirtiest things you can do. When you visit a public restroom and you can’t help but touch the light switch, make sure to have some disinfecting wipes available. It’s dirtier than you thought.

10. Handbags

Handbags are carried everywhere and they contain some of the dirtiest items like money and cellphone. Make sure to clean your bags regularly and apply disinfectant (especially in handles and straps) if possible.

Photo credits:

•  Tax Credits via Flickr
•  fajridet via DeviantArt