12 Germiest Places

by: AndreaDow
Total views: 793
Word Count: 628

Monday, November 12th

I see flu shots advertised everywhere these days which means that we are in high germ season. Germs are everywhere! You already know that I like to use my hand sanitizer, so you can bet that I have some tips for you to avoid the 12 germiest places according to Health Magazine writer Valerie Kramer Davis. Did you know that 80% of infections are spread through hand contact? Simply washing your hands is the best defense against catching what this winter has to offer. Here is a look at the dirty dozen....

1. Your Kitchen Sink- Keep counters and sinks clean by using an antibacterial product especially after fruits and vegetables have been prepared. Clean the sink twice a week with 1 tbsp of chlorine bleach and 1 quart of water. That should get rid of the 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain.
2. Airplane Bathrooms- Use a toilet seat cover when possible and always handle the seat, lid, tap and doorknob with a paper towel. Close the lid before you flush and if there is no lid, make a fast escape to avoid spewing particles filled with bacteria.
3. Wet Laundry- E. Coli tends to hang out on wet clothes. Always wash your hands after putting clothes in the dryer and try to run your washer and dryer at 150 degrees to kill most of the germs.
4. Shopping Cart Handles- Saliva, bactera and fecal matter can all be found at your local grocery store on the shopping cart handles. Yuck! To avoid this, bring your own sanitizer (many stores have sanitizer wipes right next to the carts) or cart handle cover. Always have raw meat put in a plastic bag to avoid the juices getting on your hands or other food items.
5. Public Drinking Fountains- Send your child to school with hand sanitizer and plenty of water so they do not have to use the water fountain. There is anywhere from 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch of the spigot! If schools wiped down desks with an antibacterial wipe everyday, child-absenteeism would drop by half.
6. ATM Buttons- Use your hand sanitizer after touching the ATM buttons and handling the money. The average key contains over 1,200 germs.
7. Your Handbag- Try to avoid placing your purse on the floor of public places. Always keep your purse off the kitchen counter and wipe down your bag every few days with a mild disinfectant.
8. Playgrounds- Wipe children's hands with a sanitizer before giving them a snack and after leaving the park. Blood, mucus, urine and saliva where all found at the playgrounds sampled. Most bugs cannot survive hot, sunny days so head to the park when the sun is shining!
9. Mats and Machines at Health Clubs- Wipe down the machines and mats before you use them to avoid catching any antibiotic-resistant infections. Bring your own mat and towel and shower (with your own shower sandals) after a workout to wash off any germs.
10. Your Bathtub- Clean your tub once weekly with a disinfectant. Scrub the tub and make sure the surface is dry. A whopping 26% of the tubs tested had staphylococcus bacteria.
11. Your Office Phone- Clean your office phone, computer and desk weekly to avoid the 25,000 germs lurking per square inch. Suprisingly, women had germier desks than men!
12. The Hotel Remote Control- Cold viruses have been found on everything from the remote control to door handles to pens. Make sure you bring a travel sanitizer to wipe down the handles, TV remote, faucets, telephone and light switches. Never use that nasty comforter and always wear something on your feet. Trust me, you do not want to know what they found there!

Rating: 5.00