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Dianna G10 Things (& People) where germs lurk
May 14th 2008 01:42
MSN Health & Fitness has come up with a list of surprising places and people bugs cling to that will have you investing in a 1litre hand sanitizer and get some people even more paranoid than they already are.
The Bed
Hubby often complains of my tendency to leave the bed unmade, scoffing at my excuse that I’ll be back there in 12 hours anyway. Now I have a valid excuse. Dust mites live in your sheets and feed on your dead skin, contributing to asthma and allergies.
What to do : Don’t make your bed. Dust mites need humidity levels above 50% to survive and a made bed traps the moisture they need. If the sight of an unmade bed gives you the creepy crawlies, mount an air attack. Bundle a humidifier with an oscillating fan for a double moisture eliminator.
The contact-lens case
A 2007 Chinese study revealed that 34% of contact lens cases tested were crawling with germs that can cause an inflammatory eye disease that can damage the cornea and lead to blindness.
What to do : Throw away your used solution and thoroughly rinse the case in hot water daily. Replace your lens case at least every 3 months. As multi-purpose solutions lose most of their germ-fighting power after a couple of months, buy a new solution bottle every other month even if you haven’t used it all.
The flight attendant
The Journal of Environmental Health Research has discovered that you are 100 times more likely to catch a cold on a plane than on the ground. Flight attendants are exposed to hundreds of sniffling and coughing passengers every day and use the same bathroom you use.
What to do : Pack a green-tea pill. People who take a 450mg green tea supplement twice a day for 3 months have a third fewer days of cold symptoms.
The gym equipment
A study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that 63% of gym equipments they tested in fitness centres have bacteria that instigates the common cold. They also discovered that weight equipments contain more bacteria than cardio equipments.
What to do : Don’t touch your face between sets and pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your gym bag.
The lemon wedge in your drink
70% of lemon wedges floating innocently in café/restaurant glasses contain 25 different microorganisms including E. coli and other fecal bacteria.
What to do : Simple. Ask for your drink without the fruit.
The shopping trolley
Yikes! A recent study in the University of Arizona has shown that shopping trolleys contain more bacteria than an average public toilet.
What to do : Apply disinfectant to the handle of the trolley before grabbing hold. It may not be environmentally friendly but make use of those plastic bags in the fruits & vegetables section to pack any unbagged fruits & vegetables.
The restaurant menu
Cold and flu viruses survive up to 18 hours on hard surfaces. We’ve seen waiters spraying and wiping down the tables but have you ever seen them do the same with the menu?
What to do : Don’t let the menu touch your plate or cutlery and wash your hands after you order.
The Vacuum Cleaner
Researchers have found that vacuum brushes contain ‘fecal bacteria’, all packing with mold, transferring the germs from contaminated surfaces to uncontaminated ones when vacuuming.
What to do : Bacteria can survive up to 5 days inside a vacuum even after you take out the dirt so spray the brush with a disinfectant after each use. Also disposable bags promote bacterial growth so buy the bag-less types.
The vinyl shower curtain
The soap scum that sticks to your vinyl shower curtain not only looks ugly but breeds bacteria that causes infection.
What to do : Replace the vinyl curtain with a fabric shower curtain. It will still attract bacteria but is much easier to clean and scrub down than a vinyl curtain. All you have to do is toss it in the washing machine and use the hottest water the fabric can handle. Experts recommend washing the shower curtain once a month or, if you’re prone to allergies and infections, more frequently.
The weight-lifting gloves
A Japanese study has found that a certain type of bacteria sticks strongly to polyester which is used in many gloves. You inadvertently wipe the sweat from your face with your gloved hands and the bacteria are in.
What to do : Ditching the gloves not only ditch the germs but, according to Men’s Health Muscle Guy, doing the weights with your bare hands actually strengthen your grip and forearms.
The Bed
The contact-lens case
The flight attendant
What to do : Pack a green-tea pill. People who take a 450mg green tea supplement twice a day for 3 months have a third fewer days of cold symptoms.
The gym equipment
What to do : Don’t touch your face between sets and pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your gym bag.
The lemon wedge in your drink
What to do : Simple. Ask for your drink without the fruit.
The shopping trolley
What to do : Apply disinfectant to the handle of the trolley before grabbing hold. It may not be environmentally friendly but make use of those plastic bags in the fruits & vegetables section to pack any unbagged fruits & vegetables.
The restaurant menu
What to do : Don’t let the menu touch your plate or cutlery and wash your hands after you order.
The Vacuum Cleaner
What to do : Bacteria can survive up to 5 days inside a vacuum even after you take out the dirt so spray the brush with a disinfectant after each use. Also disposable bags promote bacterial growth so buy the bag-less types.
The vinyl shower curtain
What to do : Replace the vinyl curtain with a fabric shower curtain. It will still attract bacteria but is much easier to clean and scrub down than a vinyl curtain. All you have to do is toss it in the washing machine and use the hottest water the fabric can handle. Experts recommend washing the shower curtain once a month or, if you’re prone to allergies and infections, more frequently.
The weight-lifting gloves
What to do : Ditching the gloves not only ditch the germs but, according to Men’s Health Muscle Guy, doing the weights with your bare hands actually strengthen your grip and forearms.
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