Germ and Bacteria Hot-Spots: 12 Things You Should Know
Pages in this Story:
- Germs: Dangerous or Not?
- Dirty Door Handles
- Unclean Office Objects
- Filthy Floors
- Scuzzy Sponges
- Unsanitary Kitchen Sinks
- Bunking with Bacteria
- Bedbug Elimination
- Toothbrush Trouble
- Bathroom Bacteria Buildup
- Laundry Mildew
- Contaminated Makeup
- Dirty Money
- Should You Use Antibacterial Products?
Bedbug Elimination
Claim: You must wash your sheets every week in hot water or you'll get bedbugs.
False. Washing sheets will get rid of dust mites, microscopic bugs that live on dead skin cells and other allergens. People often confuse dust mites with bedbugs, which are parasites that feed solely on animal blood. They most often hide in mattresses, box springs, and other places near the bed. These bugs won't be eliminated via the spin cycle -- unless you can wash in water that has a minimum temperature of 120 degrees. They're spread mainly through luggage (if a hotel room you're staying in has them, for example) and clothing; they can also come into your home on new furniture or spread from a nearby apartment. Only a special professional pesticide treatment plus professional laundering at high temperatures can cure a bedbug problem.
Dust mites, on the other hand, are harmful only to those who are allergic to the protein they produce. Otherwise, they're helpful, because they actually remove the dead skin cells that you continuously shed.
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Don't forget the buffet restaurants where everybody touches the serving utensils before you do and then you get your stuff, go back to your table and start eating. Maybe you cleaned your hands before you got your stuff but don't assume everyone else did!!!!!!!!!!
11/20/2012 10:56:46 PM Report Abuseon the topic of dirty door handles, i again disagree! Someone with damp hands touching a door handle has 500% more probability of cross contamination! However, I have seen in the British press recently that there is a new hygienic door handle from a company called Pure Hold that actually cleans your hands - if these get rolled out in hospitals we will all be better of! Have a look for yourself http://www.purehold.co.uk/
12/31/2011 03:44:01 PM Report Abusetotally disagree with this - inanimate objects such as door handles, phones, money have been proven to transfer germs and viruses - there is a wealth of research on the web that proves this!
12/31/2011 03:35:22 PM Report Abuseis phone funk on the mouthpiece of a phone mean there is bacteria on it? same for the sweaty musty smell that comes from my washing machine?
4/13/2011 03:46:24 PM Report Abusei am throwing out my cleaning sponges pronto. i have used these for several months. i just assumed the cleaning stuff i use was keeping them from harvesting bacteria.
4/13/2011 03:43:45 PM Report Abuse