June 30, 2025, 4:11 am | Read time: 6 minutes
From misused cleaning cloths to forgotten light switches, certain hygiene mistakes can easily creep into daily life and may have health consequences. An expert explains what should be carefully observed.
Just petted the stray cat and then immediately touched your face with the same hand. Or cleaned the toilet and used the same cloth to wipe the sink clean. Well, that’s hygienic! 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. You can debate 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 itself, similar to 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 forms from detergent residues, skin flakes, and other debris. 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, the dishwasher every six months, depending on water hardness. If used frequently, shorten the cleaning intervals.
Rank 9: One Cutting 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. “Using the same board for raw meat and vegetables increases the risk of germ formation,” says Elke Messerschmidt from the Competence Center for Home Economics in Weidenbach, Bavaria. The hygiene expert 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, it also leads to unpleasant odors and micro-germs. These can include pathogens that spread to others through shared towels. “That’s why at least once a month, a wash load should be at 60 degrees or higher to kill such germs and prevent the formation of a slimy biofilm in the drum,” explains Elke Messerschmidt.
Rank 7: Dish Towel and Hand Towel
Everyone knows this 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 real germ spreader. The damp dish towel is already a haven for all kinds of microorganisms. When other germs are added via the hands, the health risk for oneself and others in the household increases. Over time, this germ mixture ends up on clean dishes during the next drying. 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 far past the time it should have happened. “Dishcloths should be changed daily,” recommends expert Elke Messerschmidt. “Due to contact with various types of dirt and water, a multitude of germs gather in them.” Ideally, dish towels or cleaning rags should be put in the 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 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. This cross-combination clearly doesn’t offer a great 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 Covers
Whether hot summer nights or cold winter days, people sweat while sleeping. Between 0.5 and one liter of sweat escapes from the body. The liquid evaporates, ending up in clothing or bed sheets.
Depending on the mattress size, changing bed covers 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 covers 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.
Related: 5 Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes When Washing Bed Linens
Rank 2: Switches and Handles
Some public restroom floors have fewer bacteria than light switches and door handles. Not to mention computer mice and keyboards or smartphone displays. Hands touch switches or handles several times a day. 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 spots.
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Rank 1: Don’t Forget to Wash Hands
The root of all evil and rightly the top spot in the myHOMEBOOK ranking of typical household hygiene mistakes: poor hand hygiene. The COVID-19 pandemic briefly raised awareness about “hand washing.” But unfortunately, people quickly forget. “I can’t say it 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, whether taking out the trash, holding onto a bus handrail, or greeting and hugging others. Washing hands is therefore one of the most important hygiene rules in the household.