Sabrina Del Fico We always have it in our hands, yet we never clean it: we are talking about the remote control, a real receptacle for germs and dirt
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We rarely consider it, but every day we handle dozens of objects that are not as clean as we might imagine.
This concern isn’t just about money, shopping carts, or train station handrails—items touched by countless people every day, which are obviously teeming with germs and grime.
Even items we keep at home and use personally can become reservoirs of dust, dirt, and germs, increasing our risk of developing diseases such as allergies or asthma.
One such item is the TV remote control, an object that you might have never cleaned since you brought it home with your new television.
Try wiping a dry cloth between the buttons of the remote; you’ll immediately notice the huge amount of dust and dirt that has accumulated over the years, enough to change the color of the rubber buttons.
But it’s not just the dust that’s a concern: bacterial colonies can cling to the surface of the remote and multiply, increasing the risk of illness.
How is this possible? Every day we grab the remote with dirty and sweaty hands, depositing dead skin cells, food remnants, dirt, and germs.
If we also live with a dog or cat, we must consider the presence of pet hair or other organic residues brought by our pet onto our hands or directly onto the surface of the remote.
In short, the remote control is a very dirty object that, to avoid becoming a threat to our health, should be cleaned often and thoroughly.
How to clean your remote control effectively
Cleaning our remote control effectively, ensuring it is free from germs, is quite simple. You will need:
- A cotton cloth
- Denatured alcohol
- A lint-free cloth
- A toothpick
Start by removing the batteries from the remote—a necessary step to prevent short circuits and damage to the device.
Then, take a cotton cloth and moisten it with denatured alcohol. Be careful not to use too much alcohol, as it could damage the remote.
Now clean the entire surface of the remote, paying special attention to the buttons and any encrusted areas.
You can also use a toothpick to remove trapped dirt from the buttons, moistening its tip with alcohol if necessary.
Once satisfied with your cleaning, dry the remote with a lint-free cloth, ensuring every trace of dirt and alcohol is removed. Reinsert the batteries and turn on the remote to ensure it works properly.
This cleaning should be performed at least once a week to prevent the remote from becoming a repository of dust and dirt.
