In the ongoing battle between you and household germs, you may think germs have the advantage. Unlike you, they can be just about everywhere at once. And when it comes down to hand-to-hand combat, you may be too rushed or tired or just have better things to do. They don't.

Keeping household germs at bay helps keep colds, flu, and other infectious illnesses from spreading. This on-the-go cleaning guide can help you get the upper hand with germs by focusing your efforts on the places where they lurk the most.

As a rule of thumb, any area of your home with high traffic and surfaces that get touched a lot is a germ bank.

One study found the kitchen sink had more bacteria than the toilet or garbage can. The only bathroom hot spot in the study's top 10 was the toothbrush holder. Why? Toothbrush holders are often near the toilet, and flushing sends a fine spray of mist onto them. Plus, it's easy to forget about them if you're focused on cleaning the toilet and more obvious germ hot spots.

Cleaning with soap and hot water removes dirt and grime and gets rid of some germs. It's usually enough for many surfaces. But you may want to disinfect areas that are home to a lot of germs.

A cleaner-disinfectant can be good for speed-cleaning because it combines the two steps. You can use it for most kitchen countertops and bathroom surfaces.

Clean areas with sticky spills and dirt with soap and water. Then disinfect. To make a cheap, effective disinfectant, mix up to 3 teaspoons of bleach in 1 gallon of water. Never pair bleach with ammonia or vinegar.

Apply it and leave on for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse and let air-dry to save time. Or dry with a clean towel.

Always wear gloves and open some windows when you use products with bleach. 

If you're using store-bought disinfectants, try not to breathe in the chemicals. Also remember to wipe down areas afterward with water or let cleaned areas, such as countertops, fully dry before you prepare food on them.

White vinegar or hydrogen peroxide are effective homemade cleaners. But never mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar. And if you use hydrogen peroxide, test it first on an unseen surface to make sure it doesn't discolor or fade it.

You can take down some serious germ strongholds in a half-hour or less a day. If you don't have children or pets, it's even faster because you get to skip the last three steps. Start in the kitchen:

Doing a daily speed clean makes weekly cleaning easier and faster. Once a week, follow these steps to wipe out more germs:

These monthly chores take hardly any time:

For super speedy cleanups, try these shortcuts:

NSF International: "Top 10 Germiest Places in the Home" and "NSF Scrub Club Germ Experiment Featured on Good Morning America."

Healthcare News: "Combating Household Germs."

Colorado State Extension: "Cleaning and Sanitizing the Kitchen."

Environmental Working Group: "Safe Cleaning Tips for Your Home" and "EWG's Guide to Infant Formula and Baby Bottles: Safe Baby Bottle and Formula Guide."

Alliance for Consumer Education Disease Prevention Program.

Family Doctor: "Benefits and Risks."

Washoe County:  "Diaper changing and soiled clothing procedures."

Apple Inc.: "How to disinfect the Apple internal or external keyboard, trackpad, and mouse."

Public Health, Delta and Menominee Counties: "Infection Control at Home, School & Workplace."

CDC: "Cleaning and Disinfection for Households."

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