樂，學中文、教中文。/Enjoy learning &Teaching Chinese

ALAN HENRY2017年10月12日

The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/smarter-living/5-things-around-your-home-you-never-clean-but-should.html

你的遙控器

請老實回答：一直以來你清理過遙控器嗎？不論用的是普通的電視遙控器，還是更複雜的來自有線電視公司的那種，每當你倒在沙發上，大約都會拿起它調台，然後放鬆一下。但你擦拭按鈕間的污垢和灰塵的頻率絕對沒有那麼高，對吧？

Your remote control

Be honest: Have you ever cleaned your remote control? Whether you use the one that came with your TV or something complicated that came from your cable company, odds are you pick it up every time you flop down on the couch to Netflix and chill. But you’ve never even so much as wiped the grime and dirt from the valleys between the buttons, have you?

污垢會越積越多，想想你在螢幕前吃過多少次零食就知道了。不論你偏愛爆米花、薯片還是更豐盛的餐食，你的遙控器都有可能變得很髒——同樣，那些頑固的髒東西不大可能導致你生病，但肯定對你在工作一整天之後賴以放鬆的設備的使用壽命全無裨益。

That grime can add up, if you think about how many times you’ve likely snacked in front of the screen. Whether your preference is popcorn, chips or full-blown meals, your remote is likely filthy — and again, while it’s unlikely you’ll get sick from that crusty, grimy thing, it certainly isn’t doing anything for the life of the gadget you rely on to relax after a long day of work.

實際上，遙控器非常髒，布滿細菌，尤其是酒店房間裡那些常常被不同的人輪番使用卻從未被清理過的遙控。我們或許可以認定，下次旅行時你會用消毒清潔紙巾擦拭酒店裡的遙控器，但為什麼非要等到離家在外呢。請拿起一張紙巾，好好擦拭一下你每天都在使用的遙控器，並設法將其變成日常清潔工作的一部分。這麼做或許不會讓你變得更健康，卻可以延長遙控器的使用壽命，這就夠了。

In reality though, remote controls, especially the ones in hotel rooms that are often used by a rotating crew of people without ever being cleaned, are pretty gross with bacteria. While we can make the case that you might use a disinfecting cleaning wipe on the one in your hotel the next time you travel, there’s no reason to wait until you leave home. Grab a wipe and give the one you use every day a good wipe down, and try to make it part of your cleaning routine. It probably won’t make you healthier, but it will prolong the life of your remote, and that’s enough for us.

你的枕頭

你或許不知道，但大多數枕頭都被設計成了可機洗產品。把枕頭從洗衣機（或乾洗機，如果生產商建議乾洗的話）裡拿出來的時候，你必須抖一抖它們，讓它們變得蓬鬆；不要洗得太勤，以免變形。

Your pillows

You may not know it, but most pillows are designed to be machine washable. You’ll have to fluff them when they come out of the washer (or the dryer, if the manufacturer suggests drying them), and you don’t want to wash them too often or they’ll lose their shape.

洗枕頭也是好習慣，因為枕頭往往是死皮、灰塵、口水的聚居地，常常還有很多塵蟎出沒。對多數人來說，這沒多大關係，除了晚上睡覺時他們的臉得和髒兮兮的枕頭貼在一起。對免疫功能不全或有過敏症的人來說，就是麻煩事了，可能引發失眠，刺激皮膚，或造成鼻竇堵塞。

And it’s a good thing too, considering pillows tend to be exactly where dead skin, dust, drool and in many cases, dust mites love to hang out. For most people, that’s not a huge deal, aside from the fact that they’re putting their face on a gross, dirty pillow at night to sleep. For people with compromised immune systems or who have allergies, they can be an irritant that makes for sleepless nights, skin irritation and sinus congestion.

我們都很幸運，不論是有過敏症，還是單純地不喜歡在夜裡枕著髒兮兮的枕頭睡覺，辦法都很簡單：讓枕頭在調成輕柔洗模式的洗衣機裡溜達一圈兒，然後低溫烘乾，或在室溫下晾乾。如果願意，你可以更進一步，入手高品質的枕套。

Luckily for all of us, whether you have allergies or you just don’t like the idea of a gross pillow under your head while you sleep, the solution is easy: a trip through the washing machine on the delicate cycle, then tumble dry low or air dry. If you like, take things a step further and invest in a quality pillow protector.

洗枕頭時，不妨考慮一下清洗被子——如果最近沒洗過的話——以及《紐約時報》旗下產品評論網站Wirecutter的一份清單提到的其他一些家用紡織品，這份清單列出了你或許應該更頻繁清潔的家居用品。然後你休息時就可以更暢快地呼吸了。

While you’re at it, consider cleaning your comforters if you haven’t recently, and some other household textiles mentioned in this list of home products you probably don’t clean as often as you should, from Wirecutter, the New York Times’ product review site. Then you can breathe easy while you rest.

翻譯：李瓊