While some germ hotspots are immediately obvious, other high-contact areas of the home are all too easy to overlook. A frequently used appliance, your microwave might not strike you as a particularly dirty space, especially if you frequently wipe out the interior. However, it’s the exterior that often gets neglected – in particular the handle where bacteria can build up, especially when you’re cooking. Independent public health and safety organisation NSF International found microwave handles to be especially dense with harmful microbes. To keep germs at bay, they recommend cleaning the handle once a week with a disinfectant product.

28 surprising places germs are hiding in your home