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Sometimes ignorance is bliss. For example, the fact that our phone screens, which we touch on the daily and press up against our faces, have millions of bacteria is something that it can feel good to forget.

Someone asked “What's something most people don't realize is extremely dirty/gross/unsanitary?” and netizens shared the worst examples. We got in touch with Leaders Cleaning Services to learn more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and experiences in the comments below. 

More info: TikTok | Leaders Cleaning Services

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Wearing your shoes inside the house after walking around all day stepping in who knows what.

IAmSoUncomfortable , Bran Sodre / pexels Report

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#2

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Children, especially toddlers. I remember a pediatrics paramedic instructor once saying, "Forget aerosol sprays, just contaminate one ball in a preschool and that's it."

Raaazzle , Harry Grout / pexels Report

Final score:
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Upstaged75
Upstaged75
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When my mom was a first year teacher she says she was sick with something or other for the entire year. By the second year her immune system had adjusted to handle it. But now that she's older she seems to get sick any time she's around one of the grandkids - who of course are just walking petri dishes. ;)

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#3

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross When people lick their finger before turning pages or counting out money.

WoolaTheCalot , SHVETS production / pexels Report

Final score:
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BROmanicus85
BROmanicus85
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate it when cashiers lick their fingers giving back my change!!! I always snap! It's unsanitary for them too, but I can't stop thinking about all the germs on money even WITHOUT their saliva.......

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Bored Panda got in touch with the folks at Leaders Cleaning Services in New Zealand who have repeatedly gone viral on TikTok with their cleaning videos. We wanted to hear their take on what can help motivate someone to start cleaning a particularly sizable mess. 

“If the area in your house looks very messy and overwhelming, first and foremost, I would suggest motivating yourself with #cleanwithme or #cleaningmotivation videos on popular platforms. We promise, these videos work wonders and always give you a kick. Secondly, I would recommend starting with the hardest area and finishing it, instead of spreading your attention across the overall mess and keeping your rubbish bag next to you.”

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#4

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross In 6th grade we were tasked with going around our school using a cotton swab to collect bacteria samples and seeing what grew on a Petri dish.

People immediately went to the bathroom and began swabbing toilets, urinals, floors, sinks, etc. Turns out those were some of the cleanest places in the school. Those Petri dishes hardly grew anything.

The dirtiest? In order: drinking fountain, phone receiver, and the inside of somebody's mouth.

The drinking fountain news reached parents and they demanded answers. Turns out the drinking fountain wasn't properly cleaned since...ever? The janitors used a Stainless Steel Polish to clean it and that doesn't really kill any bacteria.

SayNoToHypocrisy , Jellaluna / flickr Report

Final score:
71points
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Poultry Geist
Poultry Geist
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6 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Honestly this is nothing compare to when my daughter came home and told us how a kid in her class had diabetes and the mother came to school and told the class all about it! Then she took a lancet and went around the class and asked kids if they wanted to see what it felt like to have their finger pricked ! And some kids let her prick their fingers, WITH THE SAME LANCET, not every kid did it and mine swore she didn’t let her , but it made the news! I’m pretty sure the teacher got fired, it was a big deal !

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#5

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Kitchen sponges.

These things are gross. Likely one of the dirtiest things in your home.

NeuxSaed , Karolina Grabowska / pexels Report

Final score:
67points
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BoredPossum
BoredPossum
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't get me started on mops. A friend of mine, during microbiology took a sample from the dorm mop and had it confiscated because it contained a strain of chlamydia.

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#6

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Buffets. My husband needs a kidney transplant. Afterwards, he will be immunocompromised for life because of the anti-rejection d***s. They gave him a list of things he can't do again after transplant, and eating at a buffet is on it. Even one that has a sneeze guard, even if it looks clean, even if it's vegetarian. No more buffets, Jimmy.

notreallylucy , Michael Kopp / flickr Report

Final score:
63points
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Beeps
Beeps
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6 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate buffets for this exact reason. I went to an event the other day, and the caterers had provided a massive buffet without any serving utensils at all. There were things like crisps, tortilla chips, mini sausages, carrot sticks, cheese cubes, olives (!) and sliced up pickles, all to be served by sticking your hands into the bowl. I haven’t made a complaint yet, as I’m associated with the group who hosted the event, but I keep thinking if I should. Edited to add: thanks for the replies. I like the idea of writing to them with “suggestions” initially, rather than a complaint. If I then find out that it happens again after, I can always escalate.

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“If you have a bed, make the bed first; it gives you a feeling of accomplishment that you've already done a "significant" amount of cleaning (just tricking the mind). So once you've finished the area, you could either continue next time with the rest, or most likely, this will keep the motivation going,” they shared. 
#7

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Hand air dryers in restrooms. Those Dyson air blade ones are the worst apparently

Tihsdrib , Josh Graciano / flickr Report

Final score:
61points
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MyNameIsNotAPortent
MyNameIsNotAPortent
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I swear restrooms are getting worse. That tilted table used as a feeble excuse for a basin, and a hand drier that blows high pressure air directly onto it, spraying dirty water everywhere

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#8

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Not washing their hands every time they use the restroom. Even if you haven't actively gotten urine/feces on your hands from yourself, you have touched dozens of things that other people with urine/feces have touched before you by entering that room. Also, this is your chance to keep your hands clean from the thousands of other surfaces, doorknobs, and light switches outside the bathroom.

anon , Ketut Subiyanto / pexels Report

Final score:
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Diolla
Diolla
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True. But also everybody has touched the faucet with their dirty hands.

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#9

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Flushing with the lid open

kphill325 , Sophie / flickr Report

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troufaki13
troufaki13
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This!! Always put the lid down before flushing to avoid unwanted splashes!

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We also wanted to hear their take on the topic here, of items that are a lot dirtier than one might expect. “Everyone is different; in my opinion, the most neglected things are handles and light switches. Toothbrush chargers are another big one, as well as anything very below or above eye level. If you pay attention to skirting boards, chair/table legs, toilet bases, or lighting/chandeliers, high shelves, and high mirrors, you'll find that these things are not cleaned in a long time in most houses. But that's why people call us!”
#10

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross The space behind your ears if you don’t specifically clean behind them
u/Puzzleheaded-Bet1328
In cosmetology school the amount of elderly people who came in with black gunk built up behing their ears.

They really werent kidding when they said to not forget to wash behind your ears.

Aria_the_Artificer , Karolina Grabowska / pexels Report

Final score:
51points
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Ace
Ace
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Am I the only one who wondered why they'd be looking behind someone's ears to find out more about stars and galaxies out in deep space?

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#11

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Many fountain soda dispensers and bar gun dispensers never get properly cleaned/sanitized and harbor molds, fungi and bacteria. Drink up!

JasperDyne , Phillip Pessar / flickr Report

Final score:
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ConstantlyJon
ConstantlyJon
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Our restaurant always melts down and cleans the ice bins once per week, and the fountain nozzles get cleaned every night. The bigger ice machine is a different story though. We melt that down and clean it every once in a while.

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#12

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Hotel rooms

Mexicannut , Zak Chapman / pexels Report

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Tammilee Truitt
Tammilee Truitt
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, I shutter. We travel a lot for business. I just keep reminding myself to be thankful of the nights shelter.

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“But what we would like to note is that people worry most about cleaning the toilet, but actually, kitchen and bathroom sinks and tapware hold way more bacteria. These are what people disinfect properly less frequently. Definitely prioritize your sinks,” they shared with Bored Panda. 
#13

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Cash

carrotwhirl , Suzy Hazelwood / pexels Report

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Corvus
Corvus
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my coworkers used to work in a bank. She has told us how they handled stacks of bank notes, and how their hands always got dirty to the point of becoming black... just from touching cash.

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#14

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Your phone screen is probably dirtier than a public toilet seat. Better start cleaning it regularly!

purplelips11 , Plann / pexels Report

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Evan
Evan
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

nah, ever since covid, i always spray and wipe my screen with ethanol

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#15

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Restaurant menus

FlippyChica , RDNE Stock project / pexels Report

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#16

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross New clothes. Often, those clothes have been made from fabric that is dusty or has been sitting in a dirty warehouse. Then the completed clothes are left sit in a dusty/dirty warehouse, often with rats or bugs crawling on them. Then they are handled by sweaty workers with dirty hands who load them into various containers or trucks. Then—for clothes sold in a store—there is a good chance you are not the first person to have tried on that item of clothing.

In short, when you get a new item of clothing, run it through the laundry before wearing it.

putsch80 , Ron Lach / pexels Report

Final score:
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#17

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Bowling ball finger holes.

Alert-Eggplant4654 , Anna Shvets / pexels Report

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#18

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Books at the library and keyboards. Source: Used to work in a library.

wannabe_wonder_woman , Polina Zimmerman / pexels Report

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#19

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Your keys, you never wash them, drop them a lot, use them with filthy hand... etc... and just think how often parents give them to their babies to play with.

ShadyMyLady , Alena Darmel Alena Darmel / pexels Report

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BoredPossum
BoredPossum
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never let my kid play with my keys. I prefer a ball to sharp metal objects.

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#20

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Your keyboard. It's hard to clean, and is used almost constantly

Ebonyks , RDNE Stock project / pexels Report

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Upstaged75
Upstaged75
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I also clean my keyboard with Clorox wipes once a week. Same with my mouse and mouse pad.

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#21

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Fast food ice

Kshi-dragonfly , ThatOnePickleLord / reddit Report

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Val
Val
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's iffy. Most restaurants regularly clean their ice machines. Of course, not all do, but the health inspectors like to do pop ins so they should always be prepared.

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#22

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross The condiment bottles at a restaurant.

Jeramy_Jones , Paul Sullivan / flickr Report

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#23

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Drinking from canned beverages without cleaning them off. You have no idea what's been touching that can before it touches your lips.

Cobra_Bubbles7 , Karolina Grabowska / pexels Report

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#24

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Your steering wheel. Think of all the things you touch when you're out and about then get back into your car and transfer it all to your steering wheel. Especially the gas pump.

DragonsLoooveTacos , Guillaume Meurice / pexels Report

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#25

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Ladies, if you bring your bag inside the public bathroom stall with you, don't set it down on the floor. Especially if it doesn't have little metal feet(s).

Many of us don't realize how dirty the floors in bathroom stalls or public area's actually are.

In some cases, the floors are more bacteria ridden than the toilet seats.

NewfoundOrigin , Martha Garvey / flickr Report

Final score:
33points
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Nitka Tsar
Nitka Tsar
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hang mine on the door handle, if there are no hooks… but mostly there are (for your jacket)

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#26

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Clean under your fingernails. Use an old toothbrush if you have to. Don’t use the same brush for both.

sunnyspiders , Anna Shvets / pexels Report

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#27

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Door knobs

fashionistachica01 , Antony Trivet / pexels Report

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#28

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross 1) the filters inside your dishwasher should be washed frequently. I wash/scrub mine once per week.

2) the kitchen sink strainer/stopper can be disassembled and you can clean the upper part of the rubber stopper which will make you gag because it’s so scummy.

_jump_yossarian , Castorly Stock / pexels Report

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30points
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#29

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Movie theatre seats

fartistry96 , Tima Miroshnichenko / pexels Report

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#30

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Here's something no one thinks about - luggage. You're dragging your suitcase, and maybe an attached tote bag, across sidewalks, floors, maybe airport bathrooms...then what? Handling them when putting them in the overhead bins on the airplane (which makes the bins pretty gross, too). I'm still shocked when I hear people say the set their luggage on the hotel bed. Airplane seats are gross, too. Nothing gets sanitized between flights, so there could be all kinds of germs on the armrests, tray tables, etc. I've seen people put their bare feet on the tray tables! The other day as we were deplaning, the girl next to me got up and her seat was wet from crotch sweat.

AstralCath , Andrea Piacquadio / pexels Report

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#31

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross That coffee pot/ keurig at work. No, they don't clean it, they only remove the old pods.

Key_Reporter_9316 , Dan_Sai / flickr Report

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Amy Smith
Amy Smith
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I manage our office and am Barista trained from a previous job, our coffee machine is cleaned every night and descaled regularly

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#32

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Your belt because you tighten it right after taking a dump before you even have the opportunity to wash your hands

Suspicious_Air5950 , Pixabay / pexels Report

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#33

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Wearing shoes indoors especially on carpets

carrotwhirl , SHVETS production / pexels Report

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Peter Leung
Peter Leung
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

always take shoes off at the door. have slippers for guests. which are washed when they leave

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#34

34 People Share Disgusting Things People Don't Realize Are Gross Escalator hand rails. They NEVER get cleaned, ever.

yada_u , Sem Steenbergen / pexels Report

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Jihana
Jihana
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is not true. I live in Vienna/Austria and I've seen them getting cleaned. Granted, I do not know how clean the water in the bucket was, but the hand rails did get wiped down.

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