An Australian cleaning expert has revealed the seven items in your home that are dirtier than you think.

And he says it’s these commonly overlooked spots that could be quietly sabotaging your home’s freshness and spreading countless germs.

Jason Shipway, CEO of

and one of Australia’s most popular home-care creators with than 65,000 Instagram followers, says that while most homes look tidy, the devil is in the details.

‘From someone who’s a professional cleaner I notice these things too often – they’re filthy.’

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From reusable drink bottles to the humble TV remote, Jason says these overlooked hotspots can affect everything from odours to hygiene.

However, instead of cleaning overwhelm, Jason has listed seven key checkpoints to add to your daily or weekly chores to keep on top of germs and stop the spread of dangerous bacteria.

His no-nonsense list is simple, but once you read it, it’ll be hard to ignore the same spots in your home again.

1. Reusable drink bottles

Jason says this is the number one mistake he sees in almost every household.

‘Most people just rinse and refill, which basically means you’re topping up yesterday’s bacteria and drinking it. Wash daily!’

He adds that the damp, narrow environment inside reusable drink bottles is a paradise for mould and microscopic grime, especially in lids, straws and silicone seals.

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His pro tip for a deep clean is to drop a denture tablet into your bottle with water and let it fizz up, then rinse thoroughly afterwards.’

2. Your phone and phone case

It’s our most-touched item and the dirtiest, according to Jason.

‘You take your phone everywhere – gyms, kitchens, public transport, even the toilet; so it picks up the bacteria from every place you go.’

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He says a once-a-week wipe isn’t enough: phones should be disinfected daily and cases deep-cleaned regularly.

‘Wipe it down daily with a disinfectant or alcohol wipe, and clean the case inside and out at least once a week to stop germs building up.’

3. TV remote controls

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If you’ve ever had the flu run through your household, this might be why, with Jason crediting the humble remote control as ‘one of the dirtiest things in our whole house.’

The remote is touched by everyone daily, lives on the couch, in beds, on floors and coffee tables, and almost never gets cleaned.

Jason says a microfibre cloth and alcohol-based cleaner will do the trick, but you need to be thorough.

‘Wipe it with a microfibre cloth plus 70 per cent isopropyl alcohol or a vinegar and water mix. (Then) use a cotton bud to get into the button gaps.’

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4. Washing machine door seals

The washing machine that cleans your clothes can be hiding a horror of its own.

‘Every time you start a wash cycle, you’re releasing bacteria that’s been breeding inside the seals,’ he added.

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Between trapped water, lint, and detergent residue, Jason says front-loader seals are one of the most unhygienic spots in the home.

‘Keep your front loader washing machine door open slightly when not in use to keep it dry and bacteria-free. To clean it, use a vinegar solution and scrub every two-to-four weeks.’

According to Jason, not only does this stop mould, but it helps clothes smell fresher.

5. Kitchen dish sponges and scourers

If there’s one thing in your kitchen that needs replacing often, it’s your sponges.

‘The biggest issue is people put them back wet, and a damp sponge is basically a bacteria breeding ground.’

Jason urges that cleaning sponges should be bone-dry between uses – and thrown out far frequently than most people realise.

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If in doubt, make a point to replace these monthly to be safe and not spread bacteria around the house.

6. Shower drain covers

According to Jason, most people clean their whole bathroom but never lift this cover, which is ‘where all the gross stuff actually lives.’

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Hair, soap scum, conditioner build-up and trapped water all sit beneath the cover and begin to smell, but Jason says this should become part of your regular bathroom routine.

‘Clean these every one-to-two weeks, depending on your shower frequency.’

7. Laundry machine drawer

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If your ‘clean’ clothes sometimes come out with a musty scent, Jason has warned that this detergent drawer could be the culprit.

‘It traps detergent sludge, mould and bacteria that get washed on your clothes.’

And to stop the mustiness from spreading, he recommends a simple monthly deep clean to stop buildup from sabotaging your washing.

‘Clean regularly with an old toothbrush plus dish soap to scrub away detergent sludge, then wipe the cavity (where the drawer slides in) with vinegar.’

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It takes five minutes, but it makes a huge difference to how fresh your laundry actually smells.

Jason’s followers flooded the comments with shock at how many of these they had overlooked, with many admitting they couldn’t remember the last time they cleaned their remote control’s or laundry machine drawer’s.

Some were quick to offer up their own tips too, with one saying a big culprit of spreading bacteria are things like light switches.

‘Door handles and light switches, I try do these often too!’ they urged.

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However, Jason says keeping a truly fresh home isn’t about adding labour to your weekly chores, it’s about cleaning smarter.

By tackling these hidden germ hotspots regularly, Australians can dramatically improve the hygiene, smell and overall feel of their homes with just a few extra minutes each week.