As you may know, germs are everywhere! They are at home, they are in your car and they are in your office. Even though the truth is that 99% of these germs are completely harmless to you and me, it’s the 1% that is downright scary. This 1% is mainly viruses that can cause anything from the common cold to potentially fatal illness.
You may think that you know the areas that have the most germs in your everyday life. These probably include the bottom of your shoe or even the dust in the corner of the room. However, you may be shocked to discover the most germ infested areas are not as obvious as you may think. Here are our “Five Places You Touch Everyday with the Most Germs”.
1. Vacuum Cleaner
If you do not change your vacuum bag frequently we suggest that you start! The vacuum in your home is believed to be a “meals on wheels for bacteria” according to Dr. Charles Gerba, PhD, Professor of Environmental Biology at the University of Arizona. Dr. Gerba carried out a study on home vacuum cleaners and it was discovered that 13% carry E. coli. This means that the next time you use your vacuum cleaner; you are essentially transporting E. coli throughout your home.
2. Car Dashboard
The car dashboard is one of the most popular places in your car for bacteria to live. When air is sucked through the vents in your car it is often drawn to the dashboard. This can lead to a build up of dust. This dust along with the light and heat coming through the windscreen is the perfect location for bacteria to grow.
3. Soap Dispensers
It may sound ironic but the soap dispensers in the washrooms can become highly contaminated if they are not properly treated. In fact, Dr. Gerba states that 25% of washroom soap dispensers are contaminated by fecal bacteria. This is due to the dispenser not being cleaned. This in turn allows a bio-film of germs to build up at the bottom of the dispenser. It then contaminates the soap, the nozzle and your hands.
4. Restaurant Ketchup Bottles
The ketchup on your table in your favourite restaurant may be more contaminated than you think. In an ideal world a ketchup bottle is properly cleaned before each individual use. The reality is 62% of males and 40% of females don’t wash their hands after using the washroom. Even though you may wash your hands before you use the ketchup, perhaps the person before you did not. This means that these germs are now on your hands!
5. Mobile Phones
In today’s society you will rarely catch someone without their mobile phone. Constantly being in contact with your mobile device and the number of germs that they carry can be very dangerous. A mobile phone carries roughly 25,000 germs per square inch. These bacteria include staph (skin infections), pseudomonas (eye infections) and salmonella (stomach ailments).
• “10 Worst Germ Hot Spots You Touch Every Day”. www.Prevention.com . N.p., 2014. Web. 14 July 2016.