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10 Everyday Objects That Are Germ Magnets — Worse Than Toilets!
Oct 17, 2025
You clean your toilet regularly — but what about the things you touch every day? In this video, we reveal the Top 10 household items that collect more germs than a toilet seat! From your phone and TV remote to kitchen sponges and handbags, these everyday items are bacteria hotspots hiding in plain sight. Learn which objects are the dirtiest and how to keep them germ-free to protect your health and your home. 💡 Watch till the end — #6 will surprise you! 👍 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more Top10s You Should Know videos on health, hygiene, and lifestyle.
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hello and welcome back to Top 10s You
0:02
Should Know. Let me ask you something.
0:04
When you think of the dirtiest place in
0:05
your house, what comes to mind? Most of
0:08
us instantly imagine the toilet, right?
0:11
It feels obvious. But here's the
0:13
shocking truth. The toilet is nowhere
0:16
near the dirtiest thing in your home. In
0:18
fact, there are everyday objects you
0:21
touch, use, and even put close to your
0:23
face that are harboring thousands,
0:26
sometimes millions more germs than a
0:28
toilet seat. And the scariest part, you
0:31
probably never clean them because you
0:33
don't even think of them as dirty.
0:35
Today, we're exposing the top 10
0:38
household items that collect more germs
0:40
than a toilet. By the end of this video,
0:42
you'll never look at your kitchen,
0:44
living room, or even your phone the same
0:46
way again. One, your kitchen sponge.
0:51
That innocent sponge sitting by your
0:52
sink is actually one of the dirtiest
0:54
things in your home. Studies show that a
0:57
used sponge can hold 10 million more
0:59
bacteria per square inch than a toilet
1:01
seat. Why? Because it's constantly wet,
1:04
porous, and filled with food particles.
1:07
The perfect breeding ground for bacteria
1:09
like E. coli and salmonella. Every time
1:11
you wipe a counter or wash a plate,
1:14
you're not removing germs, you're
1:16
spreading them. And here's the worst
1:17
part. Rinsing with water or soap doesn't
1:20
kill them. It actually helps some
1:22
bacteria adapt and become stronger.
1:25
Experts recommend microwaving your
1:27
sponge for 1 minute if it's microwave
1:29
safe or tossing it into the dishwasher
1:31
on high heat, but honestly, the safest
1:34
option is to replace it every 1 to 2
1:36
weeks. Otherwise, you're basically
1:39
rubbing your dishes with a germ colony
1:40
every day. Your smartphone.
1:44
Think about it. When was the last time
1:46
you disinfected your phone? Most people
1:49
touch their phone hundreds of times a
1:51
day after using the bathroom, eating
1:53
food, or touching dirty surfaces.
1:56
Studies have found that smartphones
1:57
carry up to 10 times more bacteria than
2:00
a toilet seat. That's because they're
2:02
warm, constantly handled, and rarely
2:05
cleaned. Even worse, you press them
2:08
against your face, right next to your
2:10
mouth and nose, the perfect entry points
2:12
for bacteria. Some people even bring
2:15
their phones into the bathroom, which
2:16
adds another layer of contamination. To
2:19
protect yourself, wipe your phone
2:21
regularly with disinfectant wipes
2:23
designed for electronics and avoid using
2:25
it in germheavy areas like public
2:27
restrooms. Otherwise, that shiny screen
2:29
you can't live without may be quietly
2:31
fueling colds, acne, or even stomach
2:33
bugs.
2:35
Three, cutting boards. Your cutting
2:38
board is a silent trap for germs. When
2:40
you slice raw meat, poultry or fish,
2:42
juices seep into the tiny grooves left
2:44
by your knife. Even after washing,
2:47
bacteria like ecoli, salmonella, and
2:49
lististeria can remain trapped inside
2:51
those cuts. In fact, some cutting boards
2:54
have been found to contain 200 times
2:56
more bacteria than a toilet seat.
2:59
Every time you chop vegetables or fruit
3:01
afterward, those germs can transfer
3:03
directly to your food. Wooden boards,
3:06
while natural, are especially prone to
3:08
soaking in bacteria if not cleaned
3:10
properly.
3:12
The safest way to handle this, always
3:14
use separate boards. One for raw meat
3:16
and another for fruits and veggies.
3:18
Scrub them with hot soapy water,
3:20
sanitize with vinegar or diluted bleach,
3:22
and replace heavily worn boards when
3:24
grooves get too deep. Otherwise, your
3:26
fresh salad could be carrying
3:28
yesterday's chicken germs.
3:30
Four, TV remotes. It's the one item
3:33
almost everyone touches, but no one ever
3:35
cleans. The television remote is handled
3:38
by kids, adults, and sometimes even
3:40
guests, often while eating snacks,
3:42
sneezing, or coughing. Crumbs and dirt
3:44
fall between the buttons, and bacteria
3:47
thrive in those dark, tight spaces. One
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study found remotes in hotel rooms to be
3:52
among the dirtiest objects, often more
3:54
contaminated than the bathroom sink.
3:56
Since you usually touch the remote with
3:58
unwashed hands and then touch your face,
4:01
germs can easily transfer. To fix this,
4:04
wipe down your remote at least once a
4:06
week with disinfectant wipes, especially
4:07
if someone in your home is sick. Number
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five, toothbrush holders. Here's a
4:13
shocker. The toothbrush holder in your
4:15
bathroom often has more germs than the
4:17
toilet seat itself. Why? Because it's
4:20
constantly exposed to water, toothpaste
4:23
residue, and sometimes even splashes
4:25
from flushing toilets if it's nearby.
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Moisture builds inside the holder,
4:30
creating a damp environment where
4:32
bacteria and mold thrive. Every time you
4:35
put your toothbrush back, you're placing
4:37
it into a germ-filled container. Over
4:39
time, this can affect your oral health
4:42
and even your immune system. To reduce
4:44
the risk, clean your toothbrush holder
4:46
weekly with hot water and soap, and make
4:48
sure it dries completely before putting
4:49
brushes back in. It's one of those
4:51
overlooked spots that silently collects
4:54
bacteria right where you least expect
4:56
it.
4:58
Six, refrigerator handles. Think about
5:01
it. How many times do you touch your
5:03
fridge handle in a day? Probably dozens.
5:06
Often while cooking, handling raw food,
5:08
or snacking. Now imagine all those germs
5:10
being transferred and layered on top of
5:12
one another. Studies have found fridge
5:15
handles to be among the dirtiest
5:17
surfaces in the kitchen, often
5:18
containing dangerous bacteria like
5:20
E.coli. The reason is simple. You rarely
5:23
think to clean them. And yet you touch
5:27
them before grabbing fresh food, making
5:28
crosscontamination a huge risk. The
5:32
solution? Wipe them down daily with
5:34
disinfectant wipes, especially after
5:36
cooking with raw meat. That simple habit
5:38
can save your family from a lot of
5:39
unnecessary sickness. Seven, pillows and
5:43
pillow cases. Your pillow might look
5:45
clean, but under the surface, it's a
5:47
germ paradise. Every night, you shed
5:49
sweat, oils, dead skin cells, and
5:51
sometimes even saliva onto your pillow.
5:54
Over time, these create the perfect
5:56
environment for dust mites, bacteria,
5:58
and even fungi to thrive. One study
6:00
found that pillows can accumulate
6:02
millions of fungal spores within just a
6:04
few months. If you often wake up with
6:07
acne, allergies, or stuffy sinuses, your
6:10
pillow could be to blame. The solution?
6:13
Wash your pillowcases at least once a
6:15
week in hot water and replace pillows
6:17
every 1 to 2 years. Using pillow
6:20
protectors can also help. Sleeping on a
6:22
dirty pillow is basically resting your
6:24
face on a germ farm every night. Eight,
6:27
light switches. How often do you think
6:29
about cleaning your light switches?
6:31
Almost never, right? Yet, everyone in
6:33
the house touches them daily. Sometimes
6:36
with dirty hands, sometimes while sick,
6:39
sometimes right after sneezing or
6:40
coughing. Over time, germs build up and
6:44
transfer from one person to another.
6:46
Research has found light switches can
6:48
carry hundreds of times more bacteria
6:50
than a toilet seat. Since they're in
6:52
constant use, they're one of the easiest
6:55
ways for germs to spread silently
6:57
between family members. Wiping them
6:59
weekly with a disinfectant cloth takes
7:01
seconds, but can dramatically reduce the
7:03
spread of illness in your home. Nine
7:06
keys. Your house keys and car keys go
7:08
everywhere with you. In your bag, your
7:11
pockets, sometimes even on public
7:12
counters. They're touched after pumping
7:14
gas, handling money, or opening doors.
7:17
Yet, most people never think to clean
7:19
them. Keys can harbor bacteria, viruses,
7:22
and even traces of harmful metals over
7:24
time. Since you handle them multiple
7:27
times a day, germs easily transfer to
7:29
your hands and then to your face. To fix
7:32
this, give your keys a quick wipe down
7:34
with disinfectant at least once a week.
7:36
It's a small habit that goes a long way
7:38
in protecting your health. 10. Reusable
7:41
shopping bags. Environmentally friendly,
7:44
yes, but hygienic? Not always. Reusable
7:47
shopping bags are often thrown in cars,
7:49
placed on the floor, or used to carry
7:52
raw meat and vegetables. The combination
7:54
of food residue, moisture, and warmth
7:56
makes them perfect germ breeding
7:58
grounds. Studies have shown that many
8:01
reusable bags contain harmful bacteria
8:03
like E. coli, sometimes at levels
8:05
dangerous to children. Since they're
8:08
rarely washed, they can contaminate new
8:10
groceries every single time you shop.
8:12
The solution is simple. Wash your bags
8:14
regularly in hot water and designate
8:17
separate ones for raw foods and fresh
8:19
produce. Protecting the planet is great,
8:22
but protecting your health is just as
8:24
important. So, there you have it. the
8:27
top 10 household items that collect more
8:30
germs than a toilet. Surprised? Most of
8:33
us never think twice about sponges,
8:35
remotes, or even our phones. But these
8:37
everyday objects can be far dirtier than
8:40
we realize. The good news is with just a
8:42
little awareness and simple cleaning
8:44
habits, you can cut down the risk
8:46
dramatically. Now, here's my question
8:48
for you. Which of these shocked you the
8:50
most? Was it the sponge, your phone, or
8:54
maybe the pillow you sleep on every
8:55
night? Let us know in the comments
8:57
below. And remember, sharing your
9:00
experience might help someone else keep
9:02
their home a little safer.