Our personal belongings are much dirtier than they seem. You can’t even imagine how many microbes live on the objects you touch them every day
These are items that you constantly take with you and use, and you do not even realize that they can hide bacteria that are dangerous to your health.
10. Cellphone
According to microbiologist Charles Gerby of the University of Arizona, smartphones can often be covered by anything from feces to Staphylococcus aureus, an evil relative of antibiotic-resistant staphylococci.
And if several people use one smartphone, the situation worsens significantly. You probably won’t get sick from the bacteria that live on your skin, but another person can, for example, rub their eyes or eat without washing their hands and cause big problems.
What should we do? Wipe your phone with a cloth soaked in alcohol or disinfectant at least once a day. And there is such a thing as a cell phone disinfectant.
9. Dangerous microbes on bag, wallet, backpack
We always take at least one of these things with us: to the store, restaurant, and other public places. And do you know how often you put your bag on the floor in a public place or your wallet on a dirty table? Then you go home and leave your bag or wallet on the dining table.
According to scientists, all this leads to the fact that E. coli and other microbes enter the food. So try not to put these items on the table next time and also clean them from time to time.
8. Reusable bags/shopping bags
Many people carry their grocery bags to the store, but not many people think about cleaning them.
Let’s say you bought meat and it spilled, but you don’t notice it, you go home and leave the bag in its usual place. The next day, for example, buy a salad and put it in the same bag. So, you run the risk of making a “salmonella” salad.
But this is easy to prevent if you wash the bags in the washing machine or spray it with detergent after each use. And don’t put those bags on the kitchen table.
7. Baby car seat
Baby car seats, of course, ensure the safety of your child, but they also need to be cleaned. According to experts, they are a breeding ground for mold, fecal bacteria, and other nasty things.
Kids touch the face an average of 60 times an hour, which means that almost everything they touch enters the eyes, nose, or mouth. Try to clean the car seat regularly, and also wipe children’s hands with disinfectant as soon as they get out of the car.
6. Pathogenic microbes on the yoga mat
Almost any bacterium can be found on the floor, says Philip Tierno, a microbiologist, and MD in New York.
When you fold the yoga mat, everything that was on the floor goes into your hands and the back of the mat, that is, on the side where you lie and do the exercises.
Try to find time to disinfect the mat after each use.
5. Plastic bottles
Do you still use a plastic bottle? According to Dr. Tirno, it is better to switch to metal (it can be a travel cup or a small thermos).
According to the expert, the metal can inhibit the growth of bacteria, but plastic allows microorganisms to adhere, accumulate, and create a biofilm that stimulates their growth.
Although not all of these germs can cause disease, it is better to simply clean the bottle with a brush and rinse with water, especially if you have filled it with another beverage rather than water. No wonder plastic bottles have a shelf life.
4. Sportswear
Sweaty clothes are not only unpleasant but can also become carriers of pathogens such as rhinovirus and staphylococcus, which you could “collect” from the gym.
And if that’s not enough for you, then know that many people wear sportswear several times before washing it.
The time between washes not only allows microbes to incubate but can also create a suitable environment for mold to develop. Says Dr. Stephen Fister, Ph.D. Microbiologist at the University of South Carolina.
Get used to washing sports clothes after each workout.
3. Contact lenses
Scientists know that most of the bacteria we come across are beneficial, but when it comes to your eyes, it’s best to stay perfectly clean.
Contact lenses remain sterile while in special solutions, but if you put them in your eyes with a dirty finger, you risk getting something from conjunctivitis to corneal infection, says Dr. William Schaffner, a specialist in infectious diseases and community health at Vanderbilt Medical Center
2. Dog occasion / leash
You have no idea what’s going on on earth, so be careful and wash your hands when you come back from a dog walk, says Elizabeth Scott, MD and founder of the Simmons Center for Hygiene, Health and Family.
They spend a lot of time thinking about things and places whose content you didn’t want to be on your face.
1. Shoelaces
When you go home, there is a very high risk that you have brought Escherichia coli on your shoes. Wash your hands after taking off your shoes and be sure to use a shoe bag when packing your shoes. This is the advice of Elizabeth Hirsch, an associate professor at the College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota.
The best protection against parasites such as Staphylococcus aureus (which can be resistant to antibiotics) is to follow hygiene rules. Wash your hands often, especially after you have been in public places and toilets.
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