Make no mistake about it: money is one of the dirtiest things in the world. Money passes through the hands of so many people in any given day. You can only imagine how many pockets and purses coins have to go through before they get passed on to you. Germs, microbes, and bacteria found in sweaty hands and cash registers harbor nasty diseases that can pass through your skin. This makes it important to clean your loose change every once in a while.

You can make a simple cleaning solution for your pennies, nickels and quarters with these simple ingredients:

• Ice-cold water;

• Dish washing detergent;

• White vinegar;

• Lemon juice;

• Rubbing alcohol.

Mix these ingredients together in a jar or in a pail, and allow your coins to soak for two to three hours. You may want to scrub your coins with a stiff-bristled toothbrush if you want to make them look like they came straight from the mint. Make sure that you are not cleaning valuable or historical coins, because the acids and the alcohol may reduce the coin’s collector value. For more information regarding this article, read how to clean a penny.