5 Items We Rarely Clean But Touch All the Time
Many of the surfaces we use/touch the most frequently are rarely if ever properly cleaned.
With the flu and other communicable illnesses on the rise, let's take a look at these surfaces to better understand how you can keep safe from germs and bacteria.
Door Knobs/Handles - in private residences, as well as public buildings are being constantly touched by numerous people.
Unfortunately, these frequently touched items are rarely (if ever) cleaned.
Scientists estimate that there are over 2 million germs present per square inch on an improperly cleaned door knob at any given time.
Health professionals recommend including the proper cleaning of door knobs in your residence or business to your normal cleaning routine.
When visiting public buildings and/or someone else's home, it may be a good idea to remember to wash your hands after opening any door.
Sanitizing your hands with a hand sanitizer is always another option if you are unable to get to a sink.
Light Switches - are similar to door knobs, as they are touched by a variety of people on a very regular basis, and rarely cleaned.
According to an article published in Health Line, light switches are one of the dirtiest surfaces in your entire home.
Cleaning a light switch is not an easy task.
There are tiny cracks to get between, and the electricity present makes using a wet spray a dangerous idea.
The best solution is to use a dry on contact sanitizing spray.
This minimizes the electrical hazard, and eliminates the need to use a QTip to clean in the small cracks.
Either that, or you can do like some people and just use your elbow to turn on and off the lights, but you might look kind of silly.
Personal Electronics - such as cell phones, tablets, mp3 players, etc are covered with germs and bacteria.
Countless times each day we handle our personal devices.
We pick them up, put them down (even in the bathroom), put them to our faces, and share them with others.
Yet, how often do we actually properly clean and sanitize them? Multiple studies have shown that the high rate of hand and mouth contact make personal electronics a leading contributor to the spread of the flu.
ATT&T's chief medical officer, Dr.
Geeta Nayyar, recently issued a statement warning that cellphones can easily spread the flu because they represent a device that repeatedly comes in contact with the face.
She is urging people to disinfect their cell phones regularly, use hands free headsets, and avoid using their cellphones in restrooms.
Another huge issue with our personal electroics is that we frequently share them with others.
Everytime we a let someone touch our device, we are taking an enoromous risk of contracting the flu or another virus.
The CDC has stated that the flu virus can survive on surfaces 2-8 hours, and other studies have shown that MSRA can be present on surfaces for up to 8-9 days.
It would seem that the obvious solution is to just clean your personal electronics regularly with common cleaning products, however, you then risk ruining your expensive device.
On Apple's web site, it says not to "use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives to clean the iPhone".
They caution that these chemicals could damage the screen.
Likewise, Samsung states in their owner's manual not to use "harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong detergents".
To prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses via your personal devices, you should wash your hands regularly and limit the number of times that others handle your device.
You should also consider using a dry on contact sanitizing spray and buffing with a dry cloth.
Pens - yes, believe it or not, pens.
We use them everywhere; the bank, the DMV, at work, to sign for packages, the list could go on forever.
Very often we falso ind ourselves using a "community" pen.
Imagine the number of dirty hands and even mouths that have come in contact with a pen left open in a public place.
Shared pens have an astounding 2350 bacteria per square inch.
It is recommended that you always carry your own pen and avoid using "community" pens at all times.
You should also remember to disinfect your pens regularly to prevent the spread of germs.
Your Personal Area/Workspace - such as your desk is a breeding ground for bacteria and can be littered with germs.
A study in 2008 by British microbiologist James Francic concluded that computer keyboards hold up to 5 times more bacteria per square inch than even a public toilet seat.
Many of us don't think twice about not washing our hands after using our computer keyboard.
However, we couldn't possibly conceive of not washing our hands after making contact with a toilet seat in a public restroom.
We must consider this when thinking of ways to help prevent getting sick.
Washing your hands regularly and thoroughly disinfecting ALL areas of your personal workspace are integral steps in staying germ free.
With the flu and other communicable illnesses on the rise, let's take a look at these surfaces to better understand how you can keep safe from germs and bacteria.
Door Knobs/Handles - in private residences, as well as public buildings are being constantly touched by numerous people.
Unfortunately, these frequently touched items are rarely (if ever) cleaned.
Scientists estimate that there are over 2 million germs present per square inch on an improperly cleaned door knob at any given time.
Health professionals recommend including the proper cleaning of door knobs in your residence or business to your normal cleaning routine.
When visiting public buildings and/or someone else's home, it may be a good idea to remember to wash your hands after opening any door.
Sanitizing your hands with a hand sanitizer is always another option if you are unable to get to a sink.
Light Switches - are similar to door knobs, as they are touched by a variety of people on a very regular basis, and rarely cleaned.
According to an article published in Health Line, light switches are one of the dirtiest surfaces in your entire home.
Cleaning a light switch is not an easy task.
There are tiny cracks to get between, and the electricity present makes using a wet spray a dangerous idea.
The best solution is to use a dry on contact sanitizing spray.
This minimizes the electrical hazard, and eliminates the need to use a QTip to clean in the small cracks.
Either that, or you can do like some people and just use your elbow to turn on and off the lights, but you might look kind of silly.
Personal Electronics - such as cell phones, tablets, mp3 players, etc are covered with germs and bacteria.
Countless times each day we handle our personal devices.
We pick them up, put them down (even in the bathroom), put them to our faces, and share them with others.
Yet, how often do we actually properly clean and sanitize them? Multiple studies have shown that the high rate of hand and mouth contact make personal electronics a leading contributor to the spread of the flu.
ATT&T's chief medical officer, Dr.
Geeta Nayyar, recently issued a statement warning that cellphones can easily spread the flu because they represent a device that repeatedly comes in contact with the face.
She is urging people to disinfect their cell phones regularly, use hands free headsets, and avoid using their cellphones in restrooms.
Another huge issue with our personal electroics is that we frequently share them with others.
Everytime we a let someone touch our device, we are taking an enoromous risk of contracting the flu or another virus.
The CDC has stated that the flu virus can survive on surfaces 2-8 hours, and other studies have shown that MSRA can be present on surfaces for up to 8-9 days.
It would seem that the obvious solution is to just clean your personal electronics regularly with common cleaning products, however, you then risk ruining your expensive device.
On Apple's web site, it says not to "use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, alcohol, ammonia, or abrasives to clean the iPhone".
They caution that these chemicals could damage the screen.
Likewise, Samsung states in their owner's manual not to use "harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong detergents".
To prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses via your personal devices, you should wash your hands regularly and limit the number of times that others handle your device.
You should also consider using a dry on contact sanitizing spray and buffing with a dry cloth.
Pens - yes, believe it or not, pens.
We use them everywhere; the bank, the DMV, at work, to sign for packages, the list could go on forever.
Very often we falso ind ourselves using a "community" pen.
Imagine the number of dirty hands and even mouths that have come in contact with a pen left open in a public place.
Shared pens have an astounding 2350 bacteria per square inch.
It is recommended that you always carry your own pen and avoid using "community" pens at all times.
You should also remember to disinfect your pens regularly to prevent the spread of germs.
Your Personal Area/Workspace - such as your desk is a breeding ground for bacteria and can be littered with germs.
A study in 2008 by British microbiologist James Francic concluded that computer keyboards hold up to 5 times more bacteria per square inch than even a public toilet seat.
Many of us don't think twice about not washing our hands after using our computer keyboard.
However, we couldn't possibly conceive of not washing our hands after making contact with a toilet seat in a public restroom.
We must consider this when thinking of ways to help prevent getting sick.
Washing your hands regularly and thoroughly disinfecting ALL areas of your personal workspace are integral steps in staying germ free.
