June 30, 2025, 4:11 am | Read time: 6 minutes
From misused cleaning cloths to forgotten light switches: Some hygiene mistakes can easily creep into daily life and may have health consequences. An expert explains what should definitely be observed.
Just petted the stray cat and then immediately ran your hand across your face. Or cleaned the toilet and used the same cloth to wipe the sink. Well, that’s clean! This myHOMEBOOK article gathers the ten worst hygiene mistakes in the household that probably everyone knows.
Rank 10: Cleaning household appliances too infrequently
Some appliances are almost indispensable in a household. The refrigerator and washing machine certainly belong to this category. One could argue about the dishwasher and coffee maker. In any case, all these appliances rarely receive the hygiene attention they urgently need in the household.
Infrequent cleaning of appliances manifests, much like in humans, initially through unpleasant odors. In the refrigerator, this is accompanied by mold growth, bacterial proliferation, and higher energy consumption because ventilation slots become clogged over time. In washing machines, dishwashers, and coffee makers, limescale deposits primarily shorten the lifespan of the appliances.
In the washing machine, a slimy biofilm of detergent residues, skin flakes, and other remnants also forms. Therefore, it’s worth checking regularly. The refrigerator should be checked for spoiled food at least weekly. All appliances need a thorough cleaning at least every four weeks. The coffee maker should be descaled monthly, and the dishwasher every six months, depending on water hardness. If used frequently, it’s better to shorten the cleaning intervals.
Rank 9: One board for everything
Wooden cutting boards are suitable for various uses in the kitchen. They are often used for cutting meat or vegetables. Typically, everything happens on a single board. “Anyone who processes raw meat and vegetables consecutively on one board increases the risk of germ formation,” says Elke Messerschmidt from the Competence Center for Home Economics in Weidenbach, Bavaria. The hygiene expert therefore advises strictly separating cutting boards by food groups.
Rank 8: Too low washing temperature
The eco mode of a washing machine saves energy and ultimately money. Unfortunately, over time, unpleasant odors and micro-germs also form. These can include pathogens that can be transmitted to others, for example, through shared towels. “That’s why at least once a month, a wash load should be at a temperature of 60 degrees or higher to kill such germs and also prevent the formation of a slimy biofilm in the drum,” explains Elke Messerschmidt.
Rank 7: Dish towel and hand towel
Everyone knows this household hygiene mistake: just dried the dishes with the towel and then used the same towel as a hand towel. Doing this for a while breeds a veritable germ spreader. The damp dish towel itself is already a haven for all kinds of microorganisms. If other germs are added via the hands, the health risk for oneself and others in the household increases. In the long run, this germ mixture ends up on the clean dishes the next time they are dried. Therefore, always use a freshly washed towel to cover food.
Rank 6: Cleaning cloths for eternity
If you have to think about when the dishcloth was last changed, you’re already well past the time it should have happened. “Dishcloths, in particular, should be changed daily,” recommends expert Elke Messerschmidt. “Because contact with different types of dirt and water accumulates a multitude of germs in them.” Ideally, dish towels or cleaning rags should also go into the dirty laundry after each use. “At the very latest after a week,” says the home economics expert.
Rank 5: Germ source kitchen sponge
A kitchen sponge is likely found in most households. It is excellent for removing stubborn crusts from pots and pans. Unfortunately, the sponge also stores germs of all kinds just as well. It then reliably transfers them back to already cleaned dishes. “For stubborn dirt, please use a dish brush. Germs accumulate less quickly in the brush,” emphasizes Elke Messerschmidt from the Competence Center for Home Economics.
Related: Every second person changes kitchen sponge too infrequently
Rank 4: One wipe doesn’t clean everything
Out of carelessness, the cleaning cloth that just reliably cleaned the inside of the toilet is used for the dirt in the sink. It’s clear that this cross-combination doesn’t bring a significant hygiene advantage. “My tip: Assign a specific cleaning cloth color for each living area. This way, germs from the bathroom don’t mix with those in the kitchen or living and sleeping areas,” advises home economics expert Elke Messerschmidt. Of course, all cleaning cloths, regardless of the living area, should be washed at over 60 degrees at least once a week.
Rank 3: Neglected bed linens
Whether hot summer nights or cold winter days, people sweat in their sleep. Between 0.5 and one liter of sweat is released from the body. The liquid evaporates, ending up in clothing or bed sheets.
Depending on the mattress size, changing bed linens can be physically demanding. That’s why many people avoid this household chore for as long as possible. This pleases the common house dust mite, which feeds on human sweat and skin flakes. “To keep the number of mites in the mattress low, bed linens should be changed at least once a month. A shorter interval of one to two weeks would be better,” recommends Elke Messerschmidt.
Important for bed linens: proper airing. After getting up, hang the bed sheets to air out. This allows the sweat in the mattress to evaporate properly.
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Rank 2: Switches and handles
Some train station toilets have fewer bacteria than light switches and door handles. Not to mention computer mice and keyboards or smartphone displays. Several times a day, hands touch switches or handles. Was someone just in the bathroom? Or did someone just sneeze or pet the cat or dog? It doesn’t take a CSI lab to find traces of these actions on surfaces. “Light switches or door handles are often overlooked during regular household cleaning,” explains expert Elke Messerschmidt. That’s why many illnesses start at these points.
Rank 1: Don’t forget to wash your hands
The root of all evil and rightly the leader in the myHOMEBOOK ranking of typical household hygiene mistakes: poor hand hygiene. The COVID-19 pandemic briefly raised awareness about “hand washing.” Unfortunately, people quickly forget. “I can’t say it often enough, anyone coming from outside into a home should first wash their hands thoroughly with soap,” emphasizes Elke Messerschmidt from the Competence Center for Home Economics. Because people rarely move around without touching things, having just taken out the trash, held onto the bus handrail, or greeted and hugged others. Washing hands is therefore one of the most important hygiene rules in the household.