Scary Information About Your Home, Your Health and Hidden Germs

May 15, 2013

While casually surfing the internet one sleepless night I read an article I am not sure I am glad I tripped over. But being a responsible citizen I feel compelled to share what I learned and what I think many of you might not know; namely, the 6 dirtiest places in your home.

Apparently retrieving food from your toilet can, in some cases, be cleaner than retrieving it from your kitchen sink. Feeling a gag reflex?…natural. But apparently food particles trapped in the sink and the drain can breed here causing bacteria including e-coli and salmonella. These can spread to your hands and to your food. Solution…serious sanitization daily!!

A minimum of twice a day your put this germ carrier into your mouth and think nothing of it. Your toothbrush is loaded with bacteria from your mouth, and yes, also from your toilet, unless you shut the lid when you flush! Solution… put your toothbrush out in the air to dry between brushings, change your toothbrush often, especially after a cold, and keep that toilet seat down.

This one astonished me. Another cesspool of germs are your salt and pepper shakers. The university of Virginia found 41% of all salt and peppers shakers tested positive for cold viruses. Solution… when wiping the kitchen table after a meal, wipe the shakers too.

The next two on the list of the dirtiest places in your home are not as surprising-your TV remote control and you computer keyboard. Both of these are used by the whole family…sneezed on and coughed at. They are used while eating and both retain particles of food. They are considered so germy, in fact, that they are considered health hazards. Solution… alcohol wipes and washing your hands before and after use.

Finally, and this one is counterintuitive, is your bathtub. The place you go to clean yourself is not so clean itself. Whirlpool tubs are the worst offenders-both are laden with bacteria! Solution…tubs should be cleaned with disinfectant after each use and dried with a towel.

I don't consider myself germaphobic…but the statistics and descriptions of these 6 areas in my home left a lasting and unsettling impression on me. I also realize that lots of germs are harmless and many even good for your health.

But I can not tell a lie, at the last sale on toothbrushes at my local drug store, I bought a dozen!!