Everyday Germ Hot Spots: Where They Lurk and How to Combat Them

One of the easiest ways for infection to find its way into your body is through your hands. Believe it or not, your hands come into contact with more germ-prone places than you think. Here’s a few germ hot spots to be aware of.

• Smartphone: You’re on it every day, but how many times do you actually clean it? One study by the CDC found that of 150 cell phones, 124 showed bacterial growth. Many phones can be kept clean by wiping them with rubbing alcohol, but always check instructions first on the best cleaning method for your device.
• The TV Remote: Chances are, everyone in your household comes into contact with the remote. Make sure to add this to your chore list of places to clean!
• Laptop and Keyboard: and while you’re at it, wipe down your work space as well! One study found more than 20,000 bacteria per square inch on desk surfaces. That’s more than 400 times the number found on the average toilet seat.
• Mail and Packages: That package you’ve been waiting on has had quite the journey to get to your doorstep…and has passed through a lot of hands. Be sure to wash your hands after handling your goodies from the mail box. Same rule applies for cash as well!
• Grocery Carts: When’s the last time you went to the grocery store? Chances are you grabbed a cart and started heading to the aisles. The handles of the grocery cart can carry more germs than you think. In fact, one four-year study found everything from saliva to mucus remnants attached to them. Always try to carry sanitizing wipes to use before and after you push a grocery cart.
• Light Switches: it’s a place our hands frequent often, but not one many consider when it comes to germs. Studies have found that light switches are crawling with bacteria.
• Toothbrush holder: It’s probably one of the lesser thought about items in your home but according to a study by the National Sanitation Foundation it’s the third-most germy household item you have (behind dish sponges and kitchen sinks)!

Our hands will most likely go to these places over and over again. The simplest way to combat them is to wash your hands properly and consistently.