Surprising Places Where Germs Grow

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                Germs don’t always turn up where you expect them. For instance, which do you think is more contaminated-the toilet seat or your kitchen sink? The doorknob of a public restroom or the buttons on an ATM?

                In recent nationwide telephone survey, most people opted for the toilet seat and public restroom over the kitchen sink and the ATM. Not so, says Charles P. Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Germs lurk in some surprising places.

THE PROBLEM: A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY

                The common lack of knowledge about where germs are found constitutes a significant health problem, says Dr. Gerba, because it gives people a false sense of security.

                His studies have unearthed some surprising discoveries…

·         Germs love moisture, and the kitchen sink is just about the germiest place in the house. It’s more contaminated than the toilet bowl.

·         Busy ATM’s are home to even more germs than public restroom doorknobs.

·         Phone receivers are the most contaminated surfaces found in the workplace. Computer keyboards as well as elevator buttons are also germ havens.

·         Outdoor portable toilets are cleaner than public picnic tables.

·         Playground equipment is the most germ-laden outdoor item.

THE SOLUTION: GOOD HYGIENE

                It’s a popular misconception that coughs and sneezes are the culprits in spreading microbes. In fact, 80% of infections are spread through hand contact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, simple hand washing is one of the most effective ways to kill off germs. Yet Dr. Gerba point out that most of Americans admit that they don’t clean their hands often enough. Only 17% report that they wash after shaking hands, while 51% say that they wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.

                What to do? Among Dr. Gerba’s solutions…

·         Practice proper hygiene by frequently washing your hands with soap and water and by using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, such as Purell.

·         Use disinfecting wipes to clean highly contaminated surfaces, such as desktops, phones and copy machines.

·         Always cover public picnic tables with a clean tablecloth.

·         Make sure that children wash their hands after coming back from the playground, and don’t permit them to much on snacks while swinging on the monkey bars.

References:

Charles P. Gerba, PhD, professor of environmental microbiology, University of Arizona, Tucson.