We like to think we keep our homes pretty clean (no easy feat when you have kids, pets and a partner running around).

But thanks to recent studies looking into just how filthy everyday objects can be, we were left feeling extremely grubby and wondered… is there such a thing as being TOO clean?

Whilst we feel like we’re in a never ending stream of washing, scientists are now saying this probably isn’t enough to combat the amount of bacteria around our homes.

Phones (which we touch up to 150 times a day!), sheets, pillows, bras, jeans, tea towels, pjs and now even our mattresses are just some of the items that are, according to a microbiologist and other experts, teeming with bacteria and germs. But how often should we be cleaning and changing these everyday items?

Mattresses

Change every eight years
Bed specialists Dreams have conducted a survey into how often we should be buying a new mattress, and the results are shocking! The study found that 30,000 people in the UK could be sleeping on a mattress which is over 40 years old, whilst 28% of people are sleeping on worn-out mattresses over eight years old and 5% have kept their mattress for fifteen years – meaning an alarming eight million beds in the UK aren’t up to scratch!

With one in four people feeling they are not getting enough sleep, researchers believe old worn out mattresses could be to blame. So how often should we be replacing our mattresses? According to Dreams, every eight years is the optimum for a decent night’s sleep. Blimey!

Bath towels

Clean once a week
According to research from Henry Hoover, our bath towels need to be washed every week – and that’s only if you’re drying them correctly every day. It’s also worth noting that you should only use half the amount of detergent when washing, as too much soap makes towels less fluffy. The research also suggests washing in warm water and skipping the fabric softener too.

Toilet

Clean once a week
Another once a week cleaning job, it’s pretty obvious why we should be paying the loos in our home a bit of attention when it comes to getting rid of germs! Use disinfectant spray and a cloth for the outside of the toilet and a cleanser for inside, which you should leave for 10 minutes before scrubbing with a toilet brush.

Purse/Wallet

Clean once a week
We bet you never considered that your purse needed a wash, especially once a week, but according to Hoover tests have shown that purses and wallets sometimes carry E.coli and other nasty germs (well, it’s no wonder when you consider how often it’s handled). Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you throw your new purse in the washing machine and ruin it, alcohol-free baby wipes can be used on leather and you can hand wash cotton materials.

Phones

Clean every day
Scientists in America discovered 7,000 types of bacteria on 51 phone samples and although most are harmless, some are not. Laura Bowater, a microbiologist, explained to Mail Online why you should clean your phone everyday with an antibacterial wipe: ‘When you use your phone it heats up, providing the perfect conditions for bacteria to multiply.’

Bed sheets

Clean once a week
According to a recent YouGov poll, one in ten of us wash our sheets only every four weeks, and more than a third wait 14 days. Laura recommends washing them once a week at a minimum of 60c to destroy bacteria. ‘Dry sheets and pillowcases in direct sunlight if you can, as UV light is effective in killing micro-organisms. Run a hot iron over pillowcases on the cotton setting (200c) to kill any leftover bacteria.’

Pillows

Clean every three months
This is where it gets really disgusting. According to Mail Online, doctors have found that up to a third of a pillow’s weight can be made up of bugs, dead skin, mites and their faeces, and the average unwashed pillow can contain a revolting 16 species of fungi. Luckily, washing at 60c should kill most bacteria so chuck them in the washing machine once every three months.

Beds

Clean every six months
Laura recommends that you hoover or steam your mattress once every six months, as dust mite faeces in your mattress cause allergies and asthma, and fungi and mould spores can lead to serious allergic reactions. It’s also worth investing in a machine-washable mattress topper, to make life a little easier (which we’re always a fan of!).

Jeans

Clean every five wears
Last year the CEO of Levi’s revealed he he’d never washed his year old jeans, and whilst these seems like an awfully long time we must admit to being guilty of leaving jeans for longer than the rest of our wardrobe. According to jean designer Donna Ida, washing jeans after every five wears preserves their colour and fibres. ‘Wash on the cold setting – that’s cold as in zero, not 30c’ she says.

Bras

Every two wears
Although you should avoid machine washing your bras as it can damage them, they still need to be washed regularly! Kelly Dunmore, lingerie expert for Rigby & Peller, says ‘The crease in your bust and the area under your arms are hot, sweaty environments. Cleaning after every two wears, possibly three, is ideal’.

Pyjamas

Every two wears
We sweat a lot in our sleep, so not washing your pjs regularly can lead to a nasty amount of bacteria. ‘Sleeping with a hot water bottle in winter and thick pyjamas will only make you sweat more’ says Kelly. Was your pyjamas after two wears to keep the grime at bay!