Objects around every household, no matter how hard you try to clean them, will contain hundreds or even thousands of bacteria cells. These items can be anything, including remotes, sponges, doorknobs, and other items you touch every day. There are ways to clean these objects, but the bacteria will never fully be eliminated. Items that are least suspected of being infected by germs are the simple items you use to clean. Items in the kitchen contain the biggest population of bacteria. Even sink handles have an abundance of germs, according to WebMD. Each time you touch one of these items, you are at risk of catching hundreds of infectious and potentially harmful bacteria.

Some ways to prevent these bacteria from spreading are washing your hands before and after eating, regularly cleaning countertops, and staying away from shared items, such as towels and and water bottles. There are still limits to how thoroughly one can clean, though. Items which are thought to help clean, such as paper towels, can also be infested with germs. CBS News states that “it is worth mentioning that harmful toxin-producing Bacillus species were also detected in paper mills.”

It may be true that not everyone uses a sponge to clean everyday, or has paper towels laying around in their house, but those items are just the obvious locations for germs to reside. Many people are aware that phones have a lot of bacteria on them, but it is a fact that a phone itself contains more than double the amount of germs than a  keyboard does. The phone of an average high school student contains around 17,000 bacteria, more than a toilet seat, according to Time.

While trying to stay as clean as possible, many individuals might also be killing helpful forms of bacteria. For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus is a harmless form of bacteria that stays in your body and serves multiple purposes, such as helping you to digest food and destroy disease, according to Mayoclinic. Things like hand sanitizer can kill these bacteria, leaving you more susceptible to infection.

Unfortunately, the stronger, harmful bacteria continues to outnumber the helpful kinds, which is why it is important to regularly clean and be cautious of what items we make contact with. Bacteria are everywhere, often in the oddest of places. Thus, it should be a priority to stay clean, and in turn, stay alert.