7 Cleaning Tweaks TO BEAT GERMS

We can all use a checkup on our cleaning routine. Here are a few common mistakes you can fix to help keep you and your family healthy this cold and flu season.

- ALYSSA SHAFFER

Cleaning is a necessary part of life, an essential task that keeps us (and our families) safe from harmful germs and bacteria. Not to get too gross, but microscopic culprits like salmonella, campylobacter, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can linger on dish sponges and refrigerator doors; you can even find harmful bacteria in your showerhead.

Of course, you don't have to be obsessive about it. "The best way is to be targeted in your approach, focusing on high-traffic areas and high-use items the most frequently," says Jonathan Sexton, PhD, a research scientist with the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Cold and flu season is a great time to consider these seven common cleaning oversights and how to easily correct them so you'll have a cleaning routine that will help minimize the spread of germs in your home and prevent allergic reactions.

MISTAKE #1

Using the same sponge to clean dirty dishes and kitchen counters.

When it comes to the germiest items in the home, the kitchen sponge takes top prize. Research shows that a sponge functions better than a lab petri dish as a cozy społ for bacteria to thrive. Numerous studies have found that pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter thrive in the damp, often warm environment of the sponge. And a study by the National Sanitation Foundation found that more than 75 percent of kitchen sponges were contaminated with coliform (such as E. coli) bacteria-which can cause pretty ugly gastrointestinal distress.

"Bacteria can survive for weeks and even months in the right environment, and the sponge is a perfect place because it stays moist for a long period, allowing bacteria to grow," Sexton says.