Man is a timid creature. Despite its high position on the evolutionary ladder and in the food chain. In psychiatry, hundreds of phobias are known that can easily “bite” even a completely morally strengthened person. And one of the first positions in this “TOP” is occupied by the fear of germs: germophobia. Thoughts about dirty things or public toilet creeps you out? Then these 7 antimicrobial life hacks will definitely make your life calmer!
The modern city is far from the most environmentally friendly environment, so it is quite justified to beware of germs and potential viruses. It’s just that numerous advertisements for cleaning products can bring household caution to the point of phobia. And if you are also one of those who would think twice before grabbing the handrail on the subway, then these little tricks will definitely calm your nerves. And at the same time they will make life a little easier and cleaner.
1. If the thought of putting your bag on the floor in a public restroom makes you shudder...
...then make your own portable hanger. All you need is a strong hook (for example, for fishing or towels) and a suction cup from a store with household items.
Such a hanger can always be put in a bag or pocket, thereby solving the eternal dilemma when walking and traveling.
2. When your toothbrush is suspicious...
...it's better to disinfect it. This can be done as easily as possible: pour a little mouthwash into a glass and dip the brush in it for a couple of minutes (head down). The alcohol in the product will destroy all unnecessary microbes and suspicions on the topic: “did someone else use my brush?”
3. A trick to keep your bank cards clean
They say that money has no smell. But even the most “purely earned” bills can be called “dirty”. This is also true for bank cards. If a piece of plastic is already disgusting to touch, then do the following: first wipe the surface with a damp cloth...
... and then carefully treat the magnetic strips (the “dirtiest” part of the card) with a stationery eraser. Don't worry: nothing will be erased except germs.
4. If you use in-ear headphones long enough...
...then they have already accumulated a lot of earwax and small debris. It's time to clean them. This should be done at least once a month and as follows.
To begin, carefully brush the “working” surface of the device with a dry toothbrush. Use small sweeping movements.
And then pour it on cotton pad a little vodka or alcohol-containing cologne and wipe the cable. Of course, the headphones should be turned off at this moment.
5. If after training a “dirty” sports uniform makes you disgusted...
...then always carry a shower cap and antistatic wipes in your backpack. You can compactly place dirty sneakers in the first one, and a napkin will remove bad smell and will serve as a light deodorant.
6. To keep your comb clean...
...then it’s better to talk about this with a specialist. Or at least carry a sanitizer with you everywhere. Here is one that will definitely destroy 99% of germs and at the same time moisturize the skin of your hands.
By the way, did you know that One of the dirtiest places in the house is the dish sponge.? And there is only .
If you are afraid of germs, do not appear in the world. That's true. However, they also say that “Cleanliness is the key to health.” And even though this slogan was invented before penicillin and progress in vaccine technology, its implementation will not hurt anyone in our time - when antibiotics from a miraculous salvation have turned into a problem, and viruses are doing everything possible to prevent vaccinations from helping.
Take a look at your desktop. It is quite possible that it is neat and clean, no worse than others. And that no one will suspect the employee of being a pig and inability to clean up. However, if the table is located in an office where “eleven” more clerks work (and eat food there), and at the same time there is a bathroom with a toilet, then interesting thing will study the work surfaces and equipment in this office with the help of, so to speak, an armed eye. And, never mind, under the “black” glow of the instruments, a not entirely appetizing picture of universal innocent “beastliness” will emerge.
According to data obtained by scientists from surveying the most common business spaces, invisible bacteria from a common toilet easily spread throughout the office property, then ending up on the hands and mouths of its employees. One of the reasons for such “quiet” unsanitary conditions is that approximately every fourth office worker forgets to wash their hands after “communicating” with the toilet. These hands then leave microbial and viral imprints on doors and walls, keyboards and mice, phones and coffee makers, pens and cups. Up to 700 types of bacteria of “toilet origin” are found in car interiors.
Millions of bacteria are shared between business employees, and it doesn’t matter who was the first to leave the toilet with dirty palms and fingers. Or someone who flushed the water after themselves without closing the toilet lid first, provoking the so-called “sneeze effect.” As a result of this effect, together with splashes of moisture, organisms can move to a distance of up to 6 meters. This means that they are then found on the toilet seat, on a roll of toilet paper, on towels, and on the ceiling of the restroom.
A similar microbial intervention occurs under running water in the sink. Our half measures in the matter of sanitation can only help them, the invisible ones. Therefore, today it is recommended that immediately after visiting a common office toilet, wipe the toilet seat and toilet seat with an antimicrobial solution or a bactericidal wipe.
If you do not wash your hands with soap after a toilet procedure, then up to 25 million microorganisms per square centimeter of skin settle on each hand.
Investigating the problem of the spread of infections in work communities and various places where there are usually a lot of people and this crowd uses the same amenities, American scientists (bribed by antiseptic manufacturers) use a special labeled virus that is not dangerous to humans, but is visible in a certain spectrum of rays. Experts write that it was enough to mark a couple of door handles in the clinic with the virus, and after just over two hours the agent was already visible on all floors and in almost all offices where doctors work with patients. A similar thing happens in hotels and large office centers; the firefly virus spends no more than 4 hours to conquer them. It is easy to assume that his dangerous brothers demonstrate similar logistical miracles. It is also not difficult for bacteria and fungi to master this science. So it turns out that on an ordinary office keyboard, which is endlessly touched, there are over three thousand guests from the microcosm, and on a computer mouse there are half as many (which is also a lot).
If a worker eats near sources of infection such as mice and keyboards, without washing his hands with soap before eating, then the infection from the computer plastic is transmitted through the fingers to the eater’s mouth. It is known that about 16% of people are carriers of norovirus, which causes severe gastrointestinal distress. They wear it, but without a single symptom. So, with a smile on the lips of its cheerful owner, the Norwalk virus spreads through offices and cubicles. Soon the employees, one after another, are sent on sick leave due to the “stomach flu”. Fortunately, the unpleasant disease goes away on its own, within three days at most. The main thing is to prevent dehydration of the body.
In September of this year, in the south of St. Petersburg (Russia), 69 people were poisoned in one of the schools and did not go to work, some to study. City media reported from the words of consumer supervision officials that the cause of the emergency with sick stomachs was precisely the norovirus, which was somehow introduced into the school catering unit.
Returning overseas, we note that among the recommendations for combating “micro-epidemics” in work areas is a request to make friends with antiseptic compounds, of which many different ones are now produced. And keep them somewhere in the workplace. And after using the toilet, be sure to wash your hands with soap or a general office antiseptic; 20 seconds under the tap will be enough. Then you should wipe or dry your fingers dry. Dry skin makes it harder for bacteria to migrate to a clerk's desk or onto a co-worker's body than wet skin. In addition, we must keep in mind that the spread of 80% of infections is caused by hands, in some way important point not cleared of pathogens.
Photo: John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
Being in a civilized part of the world (and if you are reading this text, then 99% that it is), it is difficult to imagine life without a daily shower. Or weekly? If hair styling is important to you, then you most likely wash your hair every day, take care of “hair health” and so on. And Uncle Vasya, a mechanic from a tire shop around the corner, uses shampoo once every 7-10 days, and he has no problems with his hair. Objectively no, and not just from his words.
Do we really need to constantly wash and polish our largest organ and its appendages? I'm talking about the skin, if anything, and the appendages are hair and nails, plus glands. Yes, there are a lot of things in the skin, and it performs a whole bunch of functions, but the main thing is that, firstly, it is constantly renewed, and secondly, it secretes sweat, sebum and some other things. All of the above when contacting environment inevitably becomes dirty and infected, and it is quite logical to remove this disgrace by washing. Society believes that you need to wash every day. Science, however, says that on average once or twice a week is OK. Simply put, you can rely on your own sensations (including olfactory ones) and not worry too much: there are no diseases that develop due to the fact that you take a bath less often than every day.
But how did people live in the Middle Ages? It is clear that their life was two or even three times shorter than ours, but was it much worse? If you look at the works of art of those times, it becomes obvious that everything is not so bad. Sometimes they washed, sometimes they didn’t, and they also invented perfume to mask odors.
Sacred knowledge number three: these bacteria are concentrated in the large intestine. To the question above: this means that if it is necessary to replenish the ranks of bacteria, then not through the mouth, but from the other side
A little bit of painful lyrics: the plague epidemic is believed to have been caused by total unsanitary conditions, which were generated by hordes of rats carrying fleas with biological weapons on board.
Some people have an obsessive, overwhelming feeling of fear not just of becoming infected with something, but also of contact with new objects in general - this is called germophobia or mysophobia. Like all phobic disorders, the obsessive fear of becoming infected with something is conscious to the person, causing him discomfort and preventing him from functioning normally, which is why these people often independently go to a psychiatrist in search of help. It’s impossible to live when your fears dictate that you wipe your hands after every contact with any object! Unfortunately, this condition is not very well treated, but it can be well controlled. The main thing that can be implanted in the head of such a person is a rational explanation of nature infectious diseases and the possibilities of their control.
Now let's figure out why you shouldn't worry about germs again. There is a very interesting misconception from prehistoric times: “We have a lot of bacteria on our hands, and in our stomach too, so I don’t wash my hands before eating to replenish the stomach bacteria reserves.” I love this beautiful myth. For initial educational purposes, it is worth learning that bacteria beneficial to our body do not live in the stomach, but in the intestines. They live there in colonies, raise children, make plans for the future, hold democratic elections and the like. You won’t get them out of there even with a two-week course of antibiotics. Sacred knowledge number three: these bacteria are concentrated in the large intestine. To the question above: this means that if it is necessary to replenish the ranks of bacteria, it is not through the mouth, but from the other side. In general, microorganisms on the surface of your hands and inside the intestines are different things, so forget it and wash your hands.
4 hours after a shower everything itches and starts to smell? Wash every 4 hours. Can you wear the same T-shirt for a week without showering and no one winces? Ignore the marketers and take a shower when it suits you
By the way, washing your hands is fun enough in itself. knowledgeable people, for example, doctors. After all, it is good to wash dirty hands, even those that have not dug with a shovel somewhere, but have a beautiful manicure - this is a whole science. You need to wash the fingers themselves, each separately, the spaces between the fingers, the palms, lather it all up copiously... for what? Yes, if you are a surgeon, then this is an inevitable part of your life. A normal person does not need this for one simple reason: what can you really become infected with? Maximum intestinal virus or ARVI. And that's all - unless, of course, you poke a dirty finger into the bloody wound. Just remember that you can only wash your hands with something soapy, otherwise it does not count as washing at all.
“But they say that all pesticides and herbicides must be thoroughly washed off fruits and vegetables!” - it is necessary if they are there in quantities sufficient to defeat the enemy in the person of the innocent you. In the remaining 99.99% of cases, it is enough to rinse them with water to mechanically wash off the dust from them. Until you've eaten a ton of dirty apples, please don't ask me about toxin poisoning. It’s possible, but rarely, statistically it’s unlikely to apply to you.
I repeat: hygiene, like cosmetology and much else in the field of health and beauty, is an exclusively individual thing. 4 hours after a shower everything itches and starts to smell? Wash every 4 hours. Can you wear the same T-shirt for a week without a shower and no one winces and your skin doesn’t break out in pimples? Ignore the marketers and take a shower when it suits you. The most important thing is the need to use individual means hygiene. Personal razor, disposable wipes, your own towel. All! If you have a personal razor, personal soap, personal shower slippers and no problems... then why are you reading this text? Don't stress too much, as this will lead to increased anxiety.
Dear neat! Please stop polishing your bare back every day, washing your fruit with a brush, and being afraid of catching HIV in a public toilet. We will both most likely die from cardiovascular diseases or cancer, which dominate our lives. modern world and which cannot be infected. Therefore, it is better to direct your energy towards doing something important in your life.
Public toilets contain a huge amount of harmful bacteria, both in the air and on hard surfaces. E. coli, salmonella, coliform bacteria, rotavirus and cold virus - the list sounds threatening. Nevertheless, the risks of catching a disease in the toilet are about the same as on the beach, in the sauna and public transport.
What happens if I sit on the toilet rim? Will I get infected with something?
Most people are afraid of getting sexually transmitted diseases and skin diseases from contact with a toilet seat outside the home. Let's see if there are grounds for this.
Most sexually transmitted diseases can only be contracted through blood or sexual contact. Their pathogens can survive outside human body for some time if they are in a humid environment. But if there are no cuts on the body and the toilet seat is dry, the probability is almost zero.
The same applies to herpes and condylomas. Pubic lice cannot move on a flat surface. So it is extremely difficult to catch a sexually transmitted infection in the toilet.
The likelihood of contracting skin or intestinal infections from the seat is slightly higher, but not significantly, especially if the skin is not broken. A toilet visitor is in no danger even if he accidentally sits in someone else’s urine: the concentration of bacteria in it is quite low Conquering the ‘ewww’ factor of the public potty.
There is a small chance of becoming infected, for example, with lichen, but, again, it is not higher than the probability of catching it at the lake or in transport.
The following factors increase the risk of infection:
- Wet seat.
- Recent hair removal or shaving of the intimate area.
- Sores or cuts on the skin in the genital area.
- Using the flush while sitting on the toilet.
- Weakened.
But there are places in the toilet that are more dangerous than the toilet seat.
Seriously? What other dangers are there?
The largest places where bacteria accumulate are the flush button, booth handles, front door and faucets, as well as a hand dryer and toilet paper. There's quite a bit of air in the toilet large number fecal bacteria, and the hot air dryer simply distills Deposition of Bacteria and Bacterial Spores by Bathroom Hot-Air Hand Dryers them onto freshly washed hands.
As for paper, visitors often tear off pieces of it, holding it with dirty hands the whole roll. If it hangs, but is not covered with a lid, it becomes the largest source of bacteria in the entire toilet. Therefore, covering the toilet seat with paper is not always a good idea.
How to reduce all risks to a minimum?
- Wash your hands before and after using the toilet with soap.
- Carry antibacterial wipes with you in case soap is not available.
- If the toilet seat is wet, wipe it with paper; when it is dry, use antibacterial wipes (the main thing is dryness).
- If possible, carry yours with you toilet paper. Some even carry a paper seat in their purse.
- Press the flush when you get up from the toilet and close the lid, otherwise dirty water will splash onto the seat and bacteria will get into the air.
- If you need to flush before using the toilet, use a tissue to press the button.
- Do not use a hand dryer; instead, dry them with a paper towel.
- Remember that public toilets with toilets are safer than outdoor wooden and composting toilets.
Germophobes, purists and obsessives, beware! This information can make your life very difficult, so be prepared.
The toilet has a pretty bad reputation for sanitation because we all think it's the dirtiest item in the whole house, but in reality there are many seemingly clean places that are much dirtier. I will give you a list of the most unexpected things that we come into contact with every day that are much dirtier than a toilet.
How is it that a toilet is usually cleaner than all of the following? It's actually quite simple to explain. We clean the toilet with various chemicals because we always think it's dirty, whereas things like toothbrushes, dish sponges, etc. cell phones are rarely, if ever, cleaned, which allows a lot of bacteria that makes us terrible sick to nest on these items.
ATMs.
As dirty as toilet rims. It turned out that ATMs are contaminated with the same amount of bacteria as public toilets (Time Magazine). Each button on an ATM contains about 1,200 bacteria per square inch (1 inch = 2.54 cm). You never know what bacteria the person who touched the screen left you with. These buttons contain mostly “very dangerous bacteria” that can lead to infection if they enter the body through a cut. Next time use your fists.
When you think of bacteria, the place where you wash might not even come to mind, but if you take a drain, for example, there are up to 19,468 bacteria per square inch around it. Warm air and the humidity in the bathroom provide an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive, especially those that have been washed off the human body or from children's toys and other items. Dirty water contaminates the entire bathtub, making it not as clean a place as you think when you go to wash.
Microbiologists in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recently discovered that men's facial hair can contain as much bacteria as the average toilet rim. John Golobic, a microbiologist at Quest Diagnostics, took samples from bearded men and analyzed the results to see how dirty the beards were. Golobik said some samples from the men's beards contained bacteria typically found in toilets.
Carpets/Rugs.
With 200,000 bacteria per square inch, carpets are 4,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. People shed 1.5 million skin cells every hour, which help feed bacteria in carpets. This, together with what we bring on the soles of our shoes or what pets bring into the house, constitutes a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria. How often do you clean your carpets with anything other than a vacuum cleaner?
Mobile phones.
Mobile phones contain 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats... and they come into contact with our faces all the time. Would you start wiping inner part toilet with your cheek? In fact, 16% of all mobile phones have particles of fecal matter on the surface. A recent study found that 9 out of 10 phones carry germs, so think twice before you put your phone to your ear next time. Did you know that 19% of people drop their phones down the toilet?
Cutting boards.
These boards actually spread far more excrement than a toilet. Raw meat carries large amounts of fecal bacteria and can contain up to 200 times more germs than a toilet bowl.
Door handles.
Hands are one of the dirtiest parts of the body and most people use them to open doors. Therefore, it is quite obvious that things are bad, since door handles are constantly touched by hands, which are the dirtiest part of the human body. A study was conducted in which a certain virus was placed on office door handles. It was then discovered that between 40 and 60% of the people in the office had contracted the virus.
Magnets for hair, mold, dandruff, debris and cozy home for the dust mites that sit there, innocently consuming it all.
Elevator buttons.
They have 40 times more bacteria than a toilet. 1 in 10 buttons contains bacteria that causes flu or sinusitis. So when flu season hits, try pressing the buttons with your elbow or wrapping your finger in a tissue and then pressing.
They carry 21 times more bacteria. And the tap in your kitchen is 44 times larger! Faucet handles are infested with bacteria, which is not surprising given that we usually turn them with dirty hands. In the kitchen, there are 13,000 bacteria for every inch of faucet.
Gas stations.
Remember the gas pumps you use at the gas station every week? They have 70% more bacteria than the toilet rim, because how many people touch them throughout the day without first cleaning their hands.
Grill grate.
Your grill grate is rife with bacteria because germs are transferred from food placed on the grill, then onto food that enters your esophagus, which can lead to gastrointestinal infections. In the study, 71% of respondents said they clean their toilets every day, but only 36% said they clean their grills more than twice a year.
This is an extremely dirty place that usually contains your phone, money and other items from our list, after reading this you will understand why it is necessary to clean your bag. A 2013 study found that one in five handbags contained enough bacteria to cause health problems. Leather bags are the worst of all because they porous structure is an excellent medium for bacterial growth. Of all the items in a bag, hand cream is the dirtiest because our hands, which come into contact with the bag so often, transfer bacteria to the cream. Use coconut oil to moisturize your hands, ladies! It is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal.
A study of fast food restaurants in the US found that 70% of the ice served to customers contained more bacteria than eau de toilette. On average, freezer ice contains up to 70% more bacteria than toilet water. Whether it's crushed or cubed ice, it doesn't matter, bacteria accumulates inside ice containers and mixes with the mold that often forms on the sides of the containers, making ice a haven for germs.
Keyboard.
A computer keyboard can contain up to 200 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. I bet that at work today after you sneezed, you continued typing without washing your hands. Or perhaps you share a keyboard with the whole family, including teenagers who always have a lot of dirt under their fingernails. Now it's all smeared all over the keyboard, and germs and bacteria are transferred to your hands with every touch of the keys.
Kitchen sink.
Forget toilets. TODAY magazine believes that your kitchen sink may be dirtier than the entire bathroom combined. While the sink may seem like it should be clean, given all the cleaning that goes on there, it is still a pretty unsanitary area in your home. Most sinks are full of bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli, and a drain can contain up to 500,000 bacteria per square inch.
Sponges for washing dishes.
They are used over and over again, collecting more bacteria after each use. In almost every part of the world, a sponge is the dirtiest thing in the house, containing 456 times more bacteria than the toilet rim. (Reader's Digest) Considering that there are 10 million bacteria per square inch of a sponge, it is almost a quarter of a million times dirtier than a toilet seat. One in three sponges contains staph bacteria, fecal matter, and a host of other much worse bacteria, so I highly recommend that you change your sponge right now.
Dirty laundry.
Your laundry may be machine washed, but germs and bacteria remain on it and continue to thrive. Underwear poses the biggest problem, given that it carries traces of fecal matter. On average, your laundry transfers one hundred million coliform bacteria into the wash water, which can then end up in your next wash.
Perhaps you think that once detergents effective against dirt, they destroy germs, however, if you do not use bleach or very hot water, then you are not killing bacteria. I bet you don't boil most of your laundry, which means all the germs stay on the fabric. If you wash in cold water, wash your hands after handling wet clothes, especially children's clothes, as they tend to have a lot more germs on them.
The right bleach can kill the bacteria, so if you can't use chlorine bleach, you can use something containing peroxide. Another option is to periodically disinfect your washing machine bleach and water at idle.
One of nature's most effective bacteria killers is the sun, so scientists advise avoiding tumble dryers and instead hanging laundry outside, as ultraviolet radiation kills germs and is the same effective means, like bleach.
Switches.
They can harbor up to 217,000 bacteria per square inch. So, when checking into a hotel, remember that the light switch may be the dirtiest place in your room.
Did you know that after 8-10 years of use, your mattress almost doubles its weight due to the number of dust mites and their feces that have accumulated in it? In addition, mattresses are good place for the reproduction of bacteria, especially novovirus, staphylococcus and campylobacter. These bacteria can lead to diarrhea, skin diseases and even death.
It's a good idea to wash your hands every time you handle cash. Banknotes contain up to 6.4 times more bacteria than a toilet rim (Herald Sun). Did you know that the flu virus can live on banknotes for up to 17 days? Another plus in favor of credit cards.
Office tables.
On average office desk 400 times more bacteria than on a toilet. Those who are lucky enough to work from home should also not delude themselves: home work desks are not much cleaner. On average, there are about 10 million bacteria in the area where your hands are.
Bowls for feeding pets.
The inside rim of the bowl alone harbors 2,110 bacteria per square inch. Germs from your pet's mouth remain in the bowl after he has eaten. If you don't wash your bowl, it will become infested with bacteria. Think about this the next time your dog licks your cheek!
How often do you change your pillows? They may contain dust mites, skin cells, dead bugs, bodily fluids, fungal spores, pollen and other substances that float around whatever you lay your head on at night. All of this can account for a third of the weight of your pillow. Pillows are a breeding ground for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, clostridium, influenza carriers and even leprosy. It is recommended to change pillows every six months.
Refrigerators.
Almost every refrigerator in the world has traces of E. coli, salmonella, and listeria on its interior surface, which lead to 48 million cases of illness per year. Of these, about 3,000 people die. Vegetable and meat containers are the most problematic places in the refrigerator, given that their contents are most often stored unwashed or raw and contain live bacteria.
Restaurant menus.
On average, restaurant menus have 100 times more bacteria than a toilet seat in the same establishment. We all know that menus are never washed. How many people pick them up every day, every week, every month? A study found that restaurant menus contained 185,000 bacteria per square centimeter. Children and people with weakened immune systems may well catch the infection from just one contact with the menu.
Reusable shopping bags.
Nobody washes reusable shopping bags, but after reading this, you might start to do so. Traces of fecal matter and other bacteria transfer from unwashed food and remain in bags, ending up on next week's shopping. This can lead to stomach flu and other illnesses.
Trolleys in stores.
Just like restaurant menus, carts tend to be touched by many hands and rarely washed. Add to this the germs that come from raw foods, and you might be wearing rubber gloves next time you shop.
Shower head.
It seems to you that the water flowing from the tap and washing your body is actually clean, right? However, it is obvious that elevated temperature and the moisture inside the shower head is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which is then transferred to your body through the water.
Soap dispenser.
One in four public toilet soap dispensers are contaminated with bacteria that can make you sick. Hand dryers remove about 45% of the bacteria on your hands, but still leave enough behind to infect you. Touch-free soap dispensers will greatly reduce your chance of getting sick.
Although you may not realize it, your car is actually a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria. Think about how often before you get behind the wheel you touch something like a cart, an ATM, a gas pump...you read carefully, right? Add to this the occasional cough or sneezing. On average, your car's steering wheel contains up to 700 bacteria per square inch.
TV remote control.
In many homes, it is one of the dirtiest items in the entire house. They never wash it, but absolutely everyone picks it up. More than 50% of remotes in a recent study tested positive for rhinovirus, which can live on a remote for several days and become a leading cause of colds for the entire family.
Toothbrushes.
These objects, which we put in our mouths several times every day, absorb all types of harmful bacteria flying around the bathroom. When you flush the toilet, germs can rise up to 180 cm and stay there for up to 2 hours. Most of them land on toothbrushes.