How to Clean Money
With how often our currency changes hands, we can never know just where our money has been. Coins and paper bills can easily build up grime and be loaded with bacteria. Nothing is worse than sticky coins or dirty dollar bills, and it is even more important to be careful what you touch during the pandemic. You may already be incorporating other eco-friendly ways to clean around your home. Here is a list of ways to clean and sanitize your money.
How to clean your coins.
Coins are the easiest form of money to disinfect since the metal is less likely to be damaged when removing dirt and germs like COVID-19 and MRSA. One of the best and simplest ways to do this is with soap and water.
Add hot water to a bowl with a drop or two of dish soap. Allow the coins to soak in the mixture for 15-30 minutes, then rub your coins with a cloth. Rinse with fresh water and pat dry.
How to disinfect your coins.
Add a cup of rubbing alcohol to a container with a few tablespoons of salt. Soak your coins for 1-2 hours, then rinse with distilled water and dry with a cloth. You can also soak your coins in 1-2 cups of hydrogen peroxide for a few hours, then rinse and dry the same way.
How to clean paper money.
While paper money is more fragile than coins, you can still clean your bills carefully while avoiding harsh chemicals.
Wet a sponge with water and add a small amount of mild soap. Wipe down the front and back of the bill gently to avoid damaging the paper. Rinse with water and allow the bill to air dry, or allow it to bake in the sun.
Sanitize your money with a UV-C light sanitizer.
After cleaning the initial layers of dirt and grime off of your coins and paper bills, you can use a UV sanitizer like the Utilimedic UV8LED to remove 99.9% of the germs and bacteria that may remain on your money. This will allow you to clean beyond the surface level and will remove germs that you may not physically see.
Have more dirty items that need cleaning around your house? Check out our other posts on how to clean your toothbrush, retainer, and keyboard!
