This is the one place you're forgetting to clean before Christmas – and it's probably teeming with germs

Traditional radiator on wall of pale green living room next to a doorway that leads to a hall with a bench and basket.

In the run-up to Christmas, most of us go around the house blitzing the obvious places to deep clean, like the communal areas, kitchen, guest bathroom if you have one, the spare room, the oven if you can bear it and maybe even the skirting boards if you are at a loose end at the end of all that.

However, there are high-traffic hotspots that are regularly overlooked when completing your Christmas cleaning jobs... your light switches (and your door knobs too). And after speaking to a number of cleaning experts, it's safe to say they're quietly harbouring more germs than you think.

With seasonal viruses, winter colds and flu season well and truly kicking off, plus the whole family piling into one space over Christmas, these tiny touchpoints become some of the dirtiest surfaces in your home. The good news is, it won't take long to give them a once-over, according to the experts.

(Image credit: Corston Architectural Detail)

Alex Rorrison-Leech, cleaning expert at Marigold, explains, 'It seems it's not just us socialising at this time of year, it's also a popular time for bugs to make the rounds.'

'Often overlooked, doorknobs and light switches are touched day in and day out and can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Remember these high-contact areas deserve attention too!'

And Lynsey Crombie, a.k.a. Lynsey Queen of Clean and This Morning's resident expert, concurs, 'These little hotspots are touched constantly but rarely cleaned.'

All the more reason to give them a deep clean before a big gathering such as Christmas. So what's the best way to clean these areas effectively?

The best way to clean light switches and door handles

Lynsey recommends giving them a quick wipe with a disinfectant spray, like Zoflora's multipurpose disinfectant spray, £2.99 from Amazon (I love the Midnight Blooms fragrance but Winter Spice will add a festive scent), which keeps germs at bay, but she advises to 'spray the cloth, not the fixture, to save any damage to the paint around the handle or light switch.'

Alex also promotes the use of a damp Marigold Let It Shine! Microfibre Cloth, £5.29 at Amazon, so, 'you can make these high-contact areas shine while removing over 99% of bacteria with just water.'

And a simple wipe-down once a week during December is enough to keep things less germy.

Where to target

Think about the areas where guests will interact the most, and you'll probably find they're also the areas you'll notice look a little grubbier. And they're usually the light switches and door knobs in high-traffic areas.

Here are the places to target:

• Front door handle
• Light switches downstairs and in the upstairs bathroom
• Kitchen cupboard knobs
• Banister rails and newel posts
• Fridge and microwave handles
• Remote controls

Christmas cleaning essentials

Marigold

Let It Shine 4pk - Extra Thick Microfibre Cloths

Alex says 'In just five minutes of cleaning with a damp Marigold Let It Shine! Microfibre Cloth, you can make these high-contact areas shine while removing over 99% of bacteria with just water, ensuring a healthier and more hygienic home.'

Zoflora

Winter Spice Multipurpose Disinfectant Trigger Spray

With a suitably festive scent, this disinfect spray from Zoflora will keep those germy hotspots squeaky clean and viruses firmly at bay.

Ineos

Ineos Next-Gen Rhubarb + Pomegranate Antibac multi-room disinfectant wipes

I personally love these antibacterial wipes as I have a lot of surfaces to wipe with the kids' mucky paws touching everything! They also smell amazing.

Bumper Pack of 35 Mini Cleaning Brush Sticks

Get into the nooks and crannies with these mini brushes that'll help tackle tricky areas like around taps, in the oven and lots of more.

Scrub Daddy Power Paste Multi Purpose Cleaner

Lauren Bradbury, our content editor for cleaning, can't stop using this Power Paste. It's very similar to The Pink Stuff in terms of its cleaning power, but is a great all-rounder for cleaning marks off walls, cleaning an oven (which is a must before Christmas) and cleaning blinds and shutters.

Shark Stratos Vacuum Cleaner

One of the top-rated vacuum cleaners, the Shark Stratos tackles dust and debris effortlessly, and it can often be found on offer at an accessible price tag.

So, if you're doing a pre-festive clean, make sure you don't overlook these touchpoints. They may be small, but they're mighty when it comes to bacteria.

And a 30-second wipe might save you a whole lot of winter sniffles. After all, nobody wants to get poorly over Christmas!