Cross-Contamination
What it is
In cleaning, cross-contamination means moving dirt, grease or germs from one surface or room to another on a cloth, mop, sponge, tool or your hands.
Why it matters
Wipe the toilet seat, then the bathroom counter, then take the same cloth to the kitchen, and you've just moved bathroom germs to the place you make sandwiches. The kitchen sponge is often the dirtiest thing in the house for the same reason. It touches everything and never fully dries.
Three habits that prevent it
- Colour-code your cloths. For example red for the bathroom, blue for the kitchen, green for everything else. Wash them after each cleaning session. Offices can use the same system so anyone can follow it.
- Clean from clean to dirty. In the bathroom, do the mirror and sink first and the toilet last. Around the house, do the bathrooms after the kitchen.
- Keep dedicated tools for the toilet. Use a toilet brush and a cloth that never leave the bathroom. Swap out kitchen sponges often, or switch to cloths you can wash.