Dear LPG, 

You might recall that I recently noted my thoughts after watching a television programme that revealed just how dirty some of the most obvious items in our homes can become as we and our visitors come into contact with them. This is before you even consider what your pets might bring in or those tiny bugs that could be hiding in our beds.  

We have all heard about them in passing, but the more I think about it, the more it disturbs me. Although I couldn't remember the last time I wiped a disinfected cloth over my door handle or light switch before watching that five-minute magazine feature, I now realise I haven't done so in a long time.

When you consider it, the main question is whether it is one of those issues that concerns you when you see the seriousness and possible consequences of such an obvious problem. However, after two topics and ten minutes, we are probably more than likely to have forgotten all about it.

That is usually the case for me too, but this topic stuck in my mind, so I found myself following up with a few more questions for Google, and I did get some answers.

The big one is, ‘how can you clean what you can’t see?’ 

You might be surprised to learn just how many UV lights, boxes, torches, and other devices claiming to detect or destroy them are available. And the truth is that, although I am only just learning about it, they became much more accessible during the pandemic for obvious reasons. I have also come across some information questioning their effectiveness.

Two of the items I initially mentioned—keys and mobile phones—have caused me more concern than any of the others because we handle them so often. While I don’t want any reader to turn this into an overwhelming worry, I’ve also come across a few more internet tips on how to keep these two frequently handled items a bit cleaner… 

FT, Croydon

FT finds some UV products that can help with the detection and destruction of germs…

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…and a little more about dealing with the problem the old-fashioned way…

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LPG would like to remind readers that the links above are designed to inform, not to entice you to buy, even though many of these links lead to advertisements.