Welcome, fur parents, as we take you on a germ-filled adventure you never saw coming. Literally—because it involves an invisible army of microbes hiding in plain sight! Curious? We won’t keep you waiting.
5 germiest items in every pet parent’s home
Ready for the dirty truth? 😬 Brace yourselves for a surprise or two.
Cleaning rags (& sponges)
These guys are up there with your toilet bowl and other high-touch surfaces like door handles, stove knobs, and faucets. It makes sense since you use them on everything from pet stains to those same high-touch surfaces. 😅
Hygiene tip: It pays to invest in high-quality microfibre cloths. Why? Unlike other fabrics, microfibre does a better job picking up dirt, dust, and microbes thanks to tiny fibres and the static electric charge generated as you run them across surfaces.
PetLab's 320GSM split microfibre cloths have added benefits like:
✔️ Superior absorbency—a clear winner when you urgently need to wipe puppy pee off your hardwood.
✔️ Exceptional durability! Low-cost ones easily fray at the seams after a few high-temp washes.
✔️ Practicality and convenience. At 40x40cm, you can fold these up as needed. Plus, you get 10 pieces per pack—enough for every nook, cranny, surface, and mess. Goodbye, cross-contamination!
Pet bowls
Your pup's bowl may look sparkling clean after every meal, but don't let that shine deceive you. Pet bowls are the 4th germiest item in the entire home. Fourth! OMG… 👀
Hygiene tip: Sanitise bowls after every meal. Just be mindful of what you use. Dish detergents can cause skin irritation, and harsh chemicals can cause serious harm if not rinsed off thoroughly or handled carefully. Use a product like Healthy Habitat Ready-to-Use Formula instead. It's organic, non-toxic, and requires zero rinsing, making it the perfect solution for time-starved individuals like you and me.
Pet toys
We've said it before, but we'll state it again for the folks in the back: Anything that went in your pet's mouth is dirty. And since pets bring their toys everywhere, like your bed and couch, that can spread germs around the house.
Hygiene tip: Wash toys regularly. Plush toys are particularly gunky as the material absorbs slobber. This creates a moist environment that germs love. Stuffed toys are also magnets for dust mites—a prolific allergen for people and pets alike.
Litter boxes
This one is a no-brainer. Your fur babies pee and poop on this. Of course, it's filthy! Also, leaving your pet's toilet unattended exposes you to ammonia and parasites like Toxoplasma gondii (from feline faeces), roundworms, and hookworms. Oh, and there's more.
Hygiene tip: Your pet's litter box needs more than a quick rinse or fresh litter. You must clean, disinfect, and deodorise regularly to keep things sanitary for everyone.
➥ Guide: Proper cat litter box maintenance
➥ Guide: Cleaning indoor dog potty patches
Doormats
You probably don't give these objects much thought. They're just there to capture all the mud, dust, and dirt everyone tracks in. But can you imagine all the germ colonies living in them?
No?
Here's a hint: Staphylococcus, E. coli, Micrococcus, Clostridium difficile, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella, mould, mildew, fungus, pollen, and more from your shoes and pup's paws.
That's a lot of unwelcome intruders... 😵 What a horrifying thought!
Hygiene tip: Spray this 3-in-1 eco cleaner directly onto doormats to kill and prevent the proliferation of harmful microbes in the home.
Cleaning vs. disinfecting
Before we sign off, did you know there's a difference between cleaning and disinfecting? Cleaning removes dirt and microbes. Disinfecting kills germs.
Two sides of the same coin but with potentially different outcomes from a health standpoint—especially if you're pregnant, over 65, immunocompromised, or have kids at home.
So, don’t take chances! Have Healthy Habitat handy for all your regular and deep cleaning chores.
✔️ It's an all-in-one, wallet-friendly product that cleans, disinfects, and neutralises odours.
✔️ Healthy Habitat kills 99.9999% of all germs, bacteria, and viruses.
✔️ It's safe to use around our most sensitive family members: Kids and pets.
Life is easier with Healthy Habitat, and we're confident you'll be big fans, too!
Peace of mind, all the time :)