Clean T.O: 10 Weird Facts About Cleaning – Toronto Maid | Maid4Condos
The internet is a treasure trove of weird information, and cleaning is no exception. From Disney to Iceland, and from Ketchup to Listerine, we’ve compiled a list of 10 weird facts about cleaning that you can wow your friends with… Who knew cleaning could be so weird?!
Here’s Our List Of 10 Weird Cleaning Facts:
1. Disney’s Dirty Secret
If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, you know that there’s a lot of ‘cast members’ walking around. But did you know that they wash an average of 285,000 pounds of laundry – every single day?! Apparently, Disney reps have stated that if you did one load of every day for 52 years, only then would you clean as much as a they do! And that’s not all- they also dry clean around 31,000 garments per day as well!
2. Listerine Invented Bad Breath
It’s a long story. But to sum it up, Listerine was originally developed to be a surgical antiseptic. However, they realized that surgical antiseptics were only marketable to a small group of professionals. In the hopes of increasing sales, the company began to market Listerine as a floor cleaner – as well as a cure for Gonorrhea! So where does mouthwash come in?
By the time the 1920’s rolled around, they were hungry for a bigger audience. And so began brainstorming issues that everyone faced, that Listerine could cure. By a stroke of genius, they created the medical condition “chronic halitosis” – more commonly known today as bad breath. Apparently back then, bad breath was just ‘breath’. Seven years later, their revenues skyrocketed past $8 million. Check out their site for a complete history!
3. What’s Lurking in the Sink?
Yep, that’s right- your kitchen sink is way dirtier than you think. In fact, it’s even dirtier than your toilet seat. Think about it, people disinfect their toilet seats all the time- but often forget to apply this same level of clean to their sinks. In fact, a wet and moist sink is the perfect environment for E. coli to live and grow. No wonder dogs prefer to drink out of the toilet bowl!
4. Iceland, A.K.A The Cleanest Country in the World
According to researchers at Columbia and Yale Universities, Iceland ranks as the cleanest country in the world. Sorry Canada, Iceland’s score of 93.5 beats our lesser (but still high) rank of 85.06. Not bad, Canada! How did they get these numbers, you ask? Apparently, the researchers ranked countries based on their Environmental Performance Index.
5. Feminism Aint Over
Although women’s rights have progressed amazingly in Canada, not much has changed when it comes to domestic duties. At the end of the day, women are still responsible for a disproportionate amount of household cleaning….And men still believe in housework fairies! In fact, the average woman cleans for 12,896 hours in her lifetime, while the average man only cleans 6,448. In other words, women spend a year and a half of their lives house cleaning. PSA to all husbands: something’s not right!
6. Cleaning Burns Calories!
That’s right, cleaning burns calories! Just think about all the vigorous scrubbing, mopping and vacuuming you do- it’s exhausting for a reason. Though cleaning won’t replace a good workout, it will contribute to your overall fitness in the long-run. Check out this list to find out the precise amount of calories each cleaning task will burn!
7. The Brits Love Cleaning Services!
Surprisingly, over 6 million people in Britain are said to hire professional cleaning services. The reason? People are busy! In fact, the necessity of cleanliness has caused the middle-class to push past the awkwardness they have felt about outsourcing cleaning in the past. Amazingly, this is true even despite the penny-pinching recession. Apparently, the Brits like to keep in clean!
8. Where’s the Ketchup?
You probably love ketchup with your French fries as much as the next person, but did you know that Ketchup can act as a cleaning agent for your tarnished copper and silver? That’s right, ketchup can make your jewelry and copper pots gleam within minutes!
In fact, it’s as simple as pie. To clean with ketchup, first submerge the item you want to clean in a bowl of ketchup for 5-10 minutes. Then, remove it and use a toothbrush to scrub the residue off. Finally, rinse with warm water! However, be sure not to let the item sit in the ketchup for too long. For fear that too much exposure to the acid can cause some minor damage.
9. Toilet Lids Exist for a Reason
Next time you use a toilet with a lid, for god sakes close it before you flush! For one thing, this simple practice can save you from ‘toilet plumes’, the affectionate name given to the small particles of waste that gets sprayed into the air with every flush.
However, it’s good to note that new, low-flush toilets have decreased the chances of the fecal spreading. Otherwise, you should be extra careful when flushing a toilet. Unfortunately, public restrooms usually lack toilet lids…check these 5 public restroom tips you need to know.
10. The Dirty Secret of Your Office Phone
Apparently the average work desk is 400 times dirtier than your toilet seat. Okay, we get it, there’s lots of things that are dirtier than your toilet seat. But get this, 60% of illnesses that take you away from work are contracted from the very workspace you sit in everyday.
That’s right, your office is definitely contaminated with E coli, staph and other bacteria. In fact, your phone is the dirtiest place in the whole office! Can you remember the last time your office phone got cleaned? That’s because it hasn’t. However, there’s a simple solution. All you have to do is keep a pack of disinfecting wipes in your desk drawer to give your phone a regular wipe down. While you’re at it, drag that wipe over your keyboard! Plus, check out our other article to learn how to clean your cell-phone without damaging it!
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