Viruses, Bacteria and Germs...Oh My!

When you think of the dirtiest place around you that you come in contact daily, do you automatically think it’s your toilet? I know that’s always been my thought, especially being the mother of three boys who are not the best at “aiming”. But guess what? It's not the toilet. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average office desk may harbor 400 times more germs than the average toilet seat. Check out these other germ hotbeds…

Your Office Desk

Your desk at your office is loaded with germs. You can touch more than 30 bacteria-ridden surfaces in under a minute, says CNN.com. Some viruses and bacteria can live and potentially infect a person for two hours or longer, the flu virus can last up to eight hours, after being deposited on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs and desks. Cleansing your keyboard, mouse, phone and desk with disinfectant wipes once a week can help keep ward off viruses and bacteria and help keep you from getting sick. 





Your Bathroom

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So the toilet HAS to be the dirtiest spot on the bathroom, right? WRONG! The most germs in the bathroom are found in the bathtub, shower curtain, sink and toothbrush and toothbrush holders. To keep germs at bay, disinfect your entire bathroom weekly with an antibacterial cleaner or a bleach solution. Also, change your shower curtain liner regularly or wash it in your bathtub with a mixture of bleach and water.  Use a shower cleaner to spray the bathtub and shower walls daily and replace your toothbrush at least once a month (or every time after you have been sick). 

Your Kitchen

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According to the University of Arizona, the kitchen sponges and dishrags you are using for washing dishes and countertops are teeming with bacteria, such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus and E. coli. You can help kill these harmful bacteria by microwave sponges or by running them through the dishwasher. Microwaving sponges for one minute kills 99.99999 percent of bacteria present on them, while dishwashing with a dry cycle kills 99.9998 percent of bacteria, according to a study done by microbiologists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Food Technology and Safety Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.  

A great alternative to wiping down counters with sponges or dishrags is using Clorox(R) Disinfecting Wipes to easily clean and disinfect hard surfaces. Clorox(R) Disinfecting Wipesare ready to use and disposable after one use, killing 99.9 percent of germs including viruses that cause colds and flu (Rhinovirus and Influenza A2). Effective against common bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (Staph.), Salmonella enterica, and E.coli.

Your Cell Phone

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The average cell phone harbors 18 times more bacteria than a flush handle in a typical men’s restroom. If there is a virus or bacteria on your phones touch screen 30 percent of that bacteria will then be transmitted to your hands and elsewhere on your body. So the next time you borrow your friends phone to view their pictures remember what could be lurking on their screen Disease-causing pathogens can thrive for weeks on your phone, so it is a good idea to get in the habit of cleansing it with a disinfecting wipe daily.

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Gym Equipment

We all know how important it is to exercise and stay in shape, but touching the communal machines at the gym can lead to harmful health issues. According to the National Athletic Trainers' Association, gym equipment provides the perfect living environment for many different types of fungi, viruses and bacteria that cause painful skin diseases. To prevent infection, fully bandage any open wounds before using equipment, use a disinfecting wipe whenever you can and make sure to take a shower after your workout.
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Communal Showers

This is where your pair of flip flops becomes your best friend!  There is an extremely contagious form of ringworm, otherwise known as athlete's foot, lurking around the tiles of public showers everywhere. When picked up by bare feet, the athlete's foot fungus can infect the skin under your toenails, between your toes and on the soles of your feet, according to Medicinenet.com. Wearing flip flops will serve as a barrier between the nasty floor and your bare feet.

Money

Research suggests that money can buy you more than material objects; it can buy you sick days, too. Paper currency is commonly contaminated with bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and pneumonia, according to the Southern Medical Journal, while SmartMoney.com has proven that several strains of the flu virus can live on bank notes for 10 to 17 days. Because paper money is traded between hands at a high exchange rate, keep bills inside your wallet to keep bacteria from spreading to your clothes or other objects in your purse. And wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after each transaction.

Fight Back!

Fighting germs, viruses and bacteria is a year round fight. By taking a few simple steps in the course of our day, we can greatly reduce our exposure to these germs.

1. Wash your hands! Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Try using an antimicrobial soap like Lysol(R) Antimicrobial Soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer like Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer - a cleanser that doesn't require water. Always wash your hands after going to the bathroom, sneezing, before and after preparing food,touching sick people, playing with pets or dealing with wounds.
2. Disinfect your desk and work space. The average office desk has more germs on it than a toilet seat. Believe it or not, it's true! Between the phone, the desk and the keyboard, there are hundreds more bacteria than a toilet seat. Keep disinfectant wipes or a disinfectant spray such as ABC Compounding Aerosol Hospital Surface Disinfectant in your desk. Use them to kill the germs and bacteria. Wipe down your desk, and everything on it on a regular basis.
3. Always make sure you have sanitizer wipes or gel available. These three things will greatly reduce your chances from getting sick.
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