Household Cleaners You Can Use To Disinfect Your Tv Remote

The TV remote not only gets smudged with bits of food, creating a grimy mess, but thanks to fingers touching it on the regular, it's a hotspot for germs. In 2012, the American Society of Microbiology conducted a study to determine the most bacteria-ridden surfaces in hotel rooms, and the results were disturbing. The remote control, an item that many hotel guests handle, was one of the most contaminated items. If that's enough to gross you out, it probably comes as no surprise that you should be cleaning your TV remote more often than you realize. Fortunately, there are many household cleaners that can banish bacteria, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, or diluted bleach. You can even use Purell hand sanitizer if you're in a pinch and don't have access to any other cleaners.

It's important to point out that while some cleaners claim they can "sanitize," essentially, sanitizing and disinfecting are two different things. Sanitizing can kill bacteria, while disinfecting can kill bacteria and viruses. If there has been sickness in your household or your remote hasn't been cleaned in a while, disinfecting is a good idea. And while you're tackling the germy remote, go ahead and take care of the most important spot on your TV that you're forgetting to clean.

There are three key steps to always follow when disinfecting a remote. First, remove the batteries. Secondly, always wipe the remote with a disinfectant; never spray a cleaner directly on it. (You can use disinfectant sprays, but they need to be sprayed on a cloth and used as a wipe.) Lastly, give the remote a basic clean before disinfecting. Do this by holding the remote upside down, shaking it to dislodge crumbs, then wiping it down with a dry cloth to pick up any dirt that didn't fall out. Once that's done, it's time to disinfect. Disinfecting wipes, like those from Clorox or Lysol, make a particularly easy job out of de-germing. All you need to do is thoroughly wipe down the remote and let it air dry.

If you don't have any disinfectant wipes on hand, you can make your own disinfecting cleaner. According to the CDC, a solution of 4 teaspoons of regular household bleach mixed with one quart of water can disinfect hard surfaces. There are some crucial precautions you need to take before cleaning your home with bleach, though, so don't skip diluting it and never mix it with other cleaners. Simply dampen a rag in the diluted bleach mixture and wipe down the remote, allowing it to remain wet for 1 minute. Afterward, rinse it off with a rag dampened in plain water only.

No bleach on hand, either? Give rubbing alcohol a try. Dampen a rag in 70% isopropyl alcohol and wipe down the remote. You can even use alcohol-dampened cotton swabs to clean between the buttons. No need to rinse afterward.