I am sure cleaning or keeping your handbag clean is mostly the last thing on your mind. If not, it is for me (I confess). I recently started to wonder about a clean handbag after a friend (bosslady) got me a WHITE handbag as a gift. The handbag is very pretty and all, but lately I started noticing a few discolorations here and there. So that’s how I arrived at today’s post on ways of keeping your handbag clean. And of course without getting charged an arm and a toe for it! So I sought out the cleaning experts at Helpling – they are just the masters of everything clean. They unveiled the hidden threats within your handbag and shared tips and insights on keeping your handbag clean and free of (most) germs.
But before I continue, here are a few things you should remember. According to one study, 33% of women made an admission of never having cleaned their purse (me too)! This is one of the reasons why handbags have more bacteria than a toilet seat (ouch). After all, toilets are frequently seen as the dirtiest place in the home, which leads us to pay more attention to them, hence cleaning them quite often.
Yes, your Handbag is Dirtier than you Thought
And so it begins. Can you imagine where and what your handbag has gone through in just one day? Let’s start with desks, and then floors, bathrooms and chairs just to name a few. All these are dirty and contaminated places that you would never touch, but your bag does! Now try to think of a time when you actually cleaned your beloved handbag and decontaminated it (what is that I hear… never?). Now imagine the amount of bacteria and germs that your handbag could have accumulated over the years? Yeah… it’s true; your handbag is dirtier than your toilet!
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Facts on Keeping Your Handbag Clean
I know by now you are feeling guilty, but fret not because I am right there with you. I am guilty as charged! According to the Hygiene fact book, about 10,000 different bacteria can be found on just a few square centimeters of your beloved handbag. 30% of these bacteria are fecal (sorry)! Also, a Science World Report once interviewed specialists that stated that handbags can have 10 times more microbial activity than a toilet seat, outside, inside, and especially the handles!
Now, think past all the places that you take your handbag and focus on how many times you touch it. With that in mind, try to imagine how dirty your hands can be! To drive the point home, The University of Colorado at Boulder once published a study that pointed out the number of different bacteria species on the human hand! And the grand total was a whooping 4,700!
Invisible Threats and Illness
Among all these millions of bacteria your handbag has, of course there are the harmless ones and those that can make you ill. And this includes your grocery bags as well.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), these bacteria found in handbags and grocery bags can cause illnesses like diarrhea, respiratory illness, urinary tract infections, or pneumonia and meningitis. If this does not convince you to maintain the hygiene of your bag, nothing will. But hey, Helpling is here to help. They don’t just scare people, they assist them as well.
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Easy Tips on Keeping Your Handbag Clean
After all the above facts about bacteria, you must be thinking on ways to scrub that bag or prevent it from hugging all that bacteria. Well, keeping your handbag clean is easier than you would have thought. Below are simple tips on decreasing the chances of having a contaminated handbag!
One way of keeping your handbag clean is to first wash your hands, then wipe your handbag with alcohol-free wipes that you can easily find at any pharmacy. From time to time, try to empty your handbag and give it a shake to dislodge larger pieces of dirt. Afterwards, use a brush or lint roller to get rid of the most resistant crumbs.- Pay attention to where you place your bag. This is one other important way of keeping your handbag clean. Avoid contaminating it by leaving it on the floor (especially those bathroom floors!). And when storing your handbag, make sure you place it in the dust bag that came with it from the shop, or a pillowcase. This will protect your bag as well as avoid cross contamination.
Always clean your hands before grabbing stuff from your handbag. Wash or disinfect your hands before touching the interior; especially if you’ve been touching other (suspicious) different surfaces or if you are coming from public places like using the metro, bus, and so.- Keeping your handbag clean is one thing, and then there is that issue of tidiness. If you want your bag extra tidy, you can make a few sachets of baking soda and put them inside. This will get rid of any unpleasant odors. Also remember to get rid of things you don’t need or never use on a daily basis. As much as getting rid of stuff is difficult, it will keep your handbag tidy and free of funny smells.
And that’s it about keeping your handbag clean! If you found this helpful or you have more tips to add, feel free to put down your words below.
xoxo
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3 Comments
Fabulous post!
Thank you dear…
Thanks darling… Love your space too