11 Everyday Items You Need to Clean Now ...

You constantly touch the screen, hold it against your face and lay it on random surfaces. Your smartphone is probably one of the most common everyday items you need to clean. With all the bacteria and dirt it picks up, it needs a good wipe off at least once a week. Otherwise, you're just spreading those germs all over your hands and face. Use antibacterial electronic wipes and the problem's gone.

I never really thought about how much dirt and germs end up on door handles in my own home. Think about it for a second. You have dirty hands and open the door to the bathroom to go wash them. Did you wipe off the door handle too? Most people never think twice about bacteria infested door handles. Once a week, use a disinfecting wipe to clean all the handles in your home.

I'm a stickler for cleaning my computer keyboard, but many aren't. Odds are, you eat, drink and touch your face while typing. Random dirt and debris from the air also end up on, under and between the keys. Blow out the keyboard with compressed air and then wipe over the keys with an antibacterial wipe. It's good for both you and the keyboard.

I'm not just talking about the wallet itself, but the stuff inside it too. You never know who last touched the money you're carrying now. Wipe over the inside of your wallet to disinfect it. Do the same with any credit/debit cards you've recently used. You'd be surprised at how many germs get on your cards.

Any remote you use on a regular basis definitely needs cleaning. It's kind of like your smartphone. You touch it and lay it down everywhere. If multiple people use the remote, it's even more important to clean it weekly. A disinfecting wipe will easily clean multiple remotes and it only takes a few minutes.

Your keys might not seem that dirty, but they pick up dirt like a magnet. Are you hands really super clean when you pull your keys out of your purse or pocket? How clean is the inside of your purse? Every time you touch your keys, you're spreading any bacteria that may be on your hands. Clean your keys weekly to avoid a germ filled pocket.

Many women actually disinfect the inside of their purses. If you don't, you should try to at least once every week or two. However, most don't think about the outside. We're bad to sit our purses on the floor, on public bathroom counters and other less than sanitary places. Don't carry that nastiness around with you. Disinfect the outside of your purse regularly too.

Most of us change the toilet paper while sitting on the throne or right after wiping. This means grabbing the holder while our hands are dirty. Since it's usually covered by a roll of toilet paper, we don't think about cleaning it. It only takes a few seconds and it could save you from getting some nasty bacteria on you later.

Depending on which study you read, you're supposed to dispose of your toothbrush every 3-6 months. In the meantime, the brush is being used day after day without being cleaned. Used toothpaste and water aren't enough. Give your mouth a fresh, clean brush every time by using a toothbrush sanitizer. Disposable sanitizers are available everywhere and are super cheap.

Unless your feet smell, you probably don't think about how dirty the insides of your shoes are. I love walking around barefoot and usually slip on a pair of shoes only when necessary. Do you realize how much dirt, bacteria and foot sweat come off our feet daily? If your shoes are machine washable, wash them once a month. If not, disinfecting cloths should do the trick.

I don't really like thinking about my ears being dirty, but they're just as susceptible to the daily grime as the rest of our bodies. Now think about how dirty our headphones get by sitting on or inside our ears. Not a pleasant thought. Keep your ears clean and your headphones working better by cleaning your headphones regularly.

I now set aside about 10 minutes each week to clean the items above. It's not hard and all you really need are a container of disinfecting wipes, antibacterial wipes approved for electronics and a sanitizer for your toothbrush. Spending that extra 10 minutes a week could save you from a nasty cold later. What other daily items should you be cleaning regularly?