Eucalyptus oil has long been used as an antiseptic or for colds and flu, but what most people don’t realise is how good it is for cleaning: especially for areas that are germy, grimy and dirty.

Here’s six places in your home you wouldn’t suspect harbour so many nasties, and how eucalyptus oil can help.

1. The Kitchen Sink
Eating something out of the toilet might be enough to make you feel sick, but believe it or not your toilet can actually be cleaner than your sink. Food particles from plates left to soak or rinsed from dishes can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria that cause gastro and tummy upsets, such as E.Coli and salmonella. And while we use disinfectant products in our toilet bowls, hardly anyone gives the sink more than a quick rinse with water.

To help keep this area clean, spray with Bosisto’s Multipurpose Cleaner (which contains pure eucalyptus oil from our farm in Inglewood Victoria), leave sit for 8 minutes then rinse thoroughly. Remember to remove the drain plug and any draining racks and drying mats, and clean them with our Multipurpose Cleaner regularly as well.

2. Your towels
Did you know kitchen and bath towels should be replaced every third use? Kitchen towels especially because they come into contact with lots of food particles, but bathroom towels hang in a moist environment which can also encourage bacterial growth. There’s no getting out of it: most of us need to wash our towels more often.

To help boost freshness use a couple of capfuls of eucalyptus oil in your wash with towels and bed linen. Eucalyptus oil is a natural antiseptic which helps prevent the growth of bacteria, and its distinctive aroma can really give your towels that fresh feeling you’re craving.

3. Your Toothbrush
You put it in your mouth twice a day, but do you know what lurks in it? Bacteria like moist areas and it doesn’t get much moister than a wet toothbrush, with germs from your mouth contaminating it to boot.

A study by the University of Arizona found a flushing toilet can release a spray of invisible germ-laden water droplets into the air which eventually lands on surfaces – including your toothbrush. Take home message? Leave your toothbrush somewhere it can air out, but nowhere near the toilet (or always close the lid when flushing)! Replace it regularly too, especially when you’ve been sick.

Every time you clean your bathroom sink, clean your toothbrush holder too (our Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Solution is perfect for this).

And it goes without saying – if the toilet does this to your toothbrush, it’s no place for your smart phone!

4. Your TV remote control
The TV remote is a ‘high-traffic touch zone’ – and this category also includes light switches, doorknobs, air conditioning and heating controls, and even communal gaming console controls shared by the family. With so many dirty, sticky fingers on them, remotes can be a filthy hot-bed of bacteria.

Researchers have found remotes have the highest bacteria count
of any other item in hotel rooms. Solution? Wipe these areas regularly with a soft cloth sprayed with a little Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Spray to clean and sanitise – with pure eucalyptus oil, it kills 99.99 percent of common household germs*.

5. Your computer keyboard & mouse
We eat, sneeze, cough and drink while at the computer, not to mention sitting down to surf the net without washing our hands. In one study keyboards were found to have five times more germs than a toilet seat.. eww.  If you must eat at your desk, try not to do it over your keyboard and keep a hand sanitiser nearby.

To clean your keyboard unplug it and gently shake out the crumbs or vacuum it. You can buy special keyboard wipes but try not to use anything too “wet” which will encourage more bacteria growth. A quick spray of Bosisto’s Eucalyptus Spray is perfect, as it dries quickly and the natural cleaning abilities of eucalyptus oil help whisk away any sticky stains.

6. The family room carpet
The rug or carpet in the room you hang out in the most can contain as much as 200,000 bacteria per square inch, according to experts4. This includes E.Coli, Salmonella and staph bacteria that can cause skin infections. Skin cells, food particles, pollen and pet hair all contribute.

Vacuum at least weekly in high-traffic areas and spot clean before spills become big germ magnets. A quick spray of Eucalyptus Spray can also keep rugs and upholstery fresh.

Consider having a professional steam clean once a year or hire a machine from your local supermarket. Steam cleaning itself is a super germ-zapper, and your carpets will last longer if cleaned regularly too.

SHOP EUCALYPTUS OIL
SHOP BOSISTO’S CLEANING PRODUCTS

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. (Eucalyptus oil & Spray) * Common household germs such as E. Coli and Salmonella.

References:
https://www.self.com/story/toilet-plume-poop-spray
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hotel-room-tests-uncover-high-levels-ofcontamination-1.1160859
https://www.forbes.com/sites/reehines/2015/08/11/5-gadgets-with-more-germs-thanyour-toilet-seat/?sh=5f088e7e12fe
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/carpet-cleaning_n_570fb9d0e4b03d8b7b9fa45e