If you’ve already got allergies, your immune system is already stressed. As many allergic folks find out, it’s easy to get sick when your allergies are in full force. In fact, many of the seasonally allergic miss the onset of a cold, because it just looks like their allergies are worse than usual – until the symptoms become more distinctive.

With this in mind, it’s helpful if you can avoid the worst germ spots in your home and target them for proper cleaning. However, you might be surprised by the areas you have to target, especially since the toilet is not mentioned at all!

1. TV remote. Yes, your remote is one of the dirtiest places in your home! It’s recommended that you sanitize the remote regularly to avoid passing germs from one family member to another. Given the delicate nature of most remotes (they are not going to survive a round in the dishwasher, for instance), consider using a light vinegar spray on them as you go to bed. It’s both environmentally friendly and a great germ killer.
2. Shower and / or bath tub. A recent study showed that the innocent bathtub may have 100 times more bacteria than your trash can! This is because many bacteria love dead skin cells – and you leave a lot of them in your tub after someone washes. The Hygiene Council recommends a twice weekly disinfection routine. Again, a simple spray of ordinary white vinegar can be used. If you don’t like the vinegar smell, add a few drops of lavender essential oil: you’ll get additional bacteria fighting from the lavender and it will help the smell dissipate faster.
3. Food dishes for pets. This is a simple one to fix: just be sure to drop your pet’s food dish in the dishwasher at least once a day.
4. Kitchen cleaning sponges and cloths. These collect bacteria all through the day, as you use them to clean. As a result, you need to give them some special attention. One of the easiest ways to ensure a bacteria-free kitchen cloth is to rinse, squeeze out excess water and then microwave it! Put in the microwave for 60 seconds: when you take it out, the bacteria will be dead.
5. Microwave touch screen. If you’ve got a microwave, it likely has a touch screen. When was the last time you washed it down? If this is another area that you can easily forget, put it on the list to do with vinegar spray at the end of the day. Just do the TV remote and then do the microwave touch screen. Don’t wipe down right away – just spray and wipe in the morning to remove any vinegar residues (with your bacteria-free sponge).
6. Light switches. No one should be surprised that light switches harbor germs. These items and door handles have to be the most common items to touch in a home, outside of the kitchen or the TV remote. Vinegar spray is best (but not too much) and don’t wipe down until morning. Just a fine mist will do all the disinfecting you need!
7. Change tables for babies. Change tables and the entire changing area are easily contaminated with bacteria. Clean often! Again, full strength vinegar spray is your best friend – and if you want a baby-friendly smell, add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil.
8. Kitchen faucet. Your kitchen faucet is used by almost every family member to wash their hands at some point during the day! This is another area to spray with vinegar spray when the day is through. Like a nice shine to your faucet? Take a clean, dry cloth in the morning and shine it up!

Sources: Chicago Tribune; Mercola.com