You clean your internal and external door handles weekly. You do the same with other germ hot spots — light switches, your TV remote, your kitchen sponge. But why are your house keys any different? Even worse, these aren't just touched by your hands, but by anyone else who lives in your home, plus they're usually handled when your hands aren't particularly clean. And they leave the house with you! I mean, where's the logic in washing certain breeding grounds in your home but ignoring others?
Well, I am here with a clever key-cleaning hack for those bundles of keys (like mine) that are screaming out for some attention. And it's not harsh; it doesn't require a lot of your time, and you probably already have what you need in your cleaning closet.
Interested? Here's what to do — and what to ensure you keep doing once a month, now, for clean keys and peace of mind that these are no longer a greasy, dirty addition to your handbag.
What exactly is the vinegar on keys hack?
Yes, you might have guessed it: vinegar is the genius ingredient when it comes to cleaning your keys the proper way. Why, you ask? Well, this multipurpose cleaning ingredient, though pungent, is a miracle worker when it comes to light rust, which may very well be hiding on your keys, especially if they are old.
White vinegar also cuts through invisible layers of skin oils and sweat, which you know will be straddling your keys post-gym session. And spraying it directly on your keys means that it will soak its way through the grooves and gaps to cover each nook and cranny.
Best of all? Vinegar is non-toxic, meaning that it's not going to leave anything bad behind — so if you're often handing your keys over to your little one for entertainment, there's no need to worry about chemicals.
How to use it? Simply spray your keys with a light coating of white vinegar and leave them for a few minutes for the vinegar to work. During this time, it will loosen any dirt, ready for you to wipe clean with a dry paper towel.
Final thought
Don't forget to thoroughly dry your keys after cleaning them with vinegar. Leave them out in the sun, too, if you have the time.
Don't use this cleaning method with electronic keys, obviously, as these have a chip inside that can be damaged by excessive moisture.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.
More from Tom's Guide
- I've got a fly infestation — here's the hack I found to tackle the problem for good
- People are mixing coffee with Diet Coke (yes, really) — I'm an ex-barista, and I tried the viral 'fridge cigarette'
- Martha Stewart swears by this exact weeding tool — last year it sold out fast, but now it's back in stock for $24
