diyhealth.com

9 Sneaky germ hideouts

Washing hands with a soap

It’s a well-known fact that one should cover his nose while sneezing or cover his mouth while coughing. This is done to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria to others and also to disallow their spread in the immediate environment. Many viral diseases that get spread from one person to another are passed on due to sneezing and coughing. But you would be surprised to know that not-so-thought-of places can also be responsible for sheltering germs all along. Let’s check out some of these hideouts of germs.

1. Your cuddling pillows

The night dawns and all you want to do is to cuddle your pillow and go off to sweet sleep. But that’s not all about pillows. If you are suffering from unexplained asthma or allergy problems, then it’s time to check your pillows. Pillows tend to shelter dust mites and other seasonal germs. The dust mites are often the cause of allergies and asthma. The mites feed on the skin flakes that might drop on to your pillow. To avoid the prevalence of these dust mites, all you have to do is to use zippered pillow covers that are dust proof.

2. Sharing eye make-up

The second place where germs and fungi find their place is the eye make-up. The eye make-up products should not be used for years without a change. Also, it should not be shared with anyone else. Doing that allows the already present fungi to get passed on to your eyelids. Thus, before putting your eye make-up on, wash your hands and also do not use mascara, whether transparent or black for too long. Change it after every two to four months.

3. The keyboards

The third place where germs are present in abundance are the office keyboards. Since, office or work keyboards have multiple users, they have the compilation of germs from different persons and sources. A research shows that a work keyboard contains about 21000 germs per square inch. While the toilet seat contains 49 germs per square inch. To avoid all this, try to wash your hands frequently before and after working and also use a sanitizer to clean the keyboard.

4. The fragrant perfumes

The fourth common place for the germs hideout are perfumes. Most of the perfumes today have a high fragrance which is a reason for many skin allergies. Fragrance is the major reasons for the perfumes to cause skin problems. If you have a sensitive skin or you feel any redness in you skin after the usage of a perfume, stop using it. And the next time you buy a perfume, get yourself a ‘fragrance-free’ perfume.

5. The cleaning sponges in the kitchen

The fifth place where germs and bacteria flourish is the cleaning sponges. Yes, cleaning sponges provide the best environment for the bacteria and germs to grow. Also, cleaning sponges are supposed to be clean and yet in most households they are the dirtiest, making for an apt place for the hideout of bacteria and germs. Thus, avoid using cleaning sponges and instead use a dish washing cloth or napkins to clean your kitchen utensils.

6. Your old vacuum cleaner

The sixth place for the hideout of germs is vacuum cleaner. Not only does it spread the allergen in the air when you are cleaning up, it also is very problematic for those suffering from asthma or general skin allergies. To avoid getting prone to the germs in the air while cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, you should wear masks and use high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPF) while cleaning up.

7. The swimming pool

The seventh place is swimming pool. A swimming pool is kept clean with the usage of chlorine which is also not too good for the body. Also, people who swim in contaminated water without their knowledge of the same, get prone to many infections related to eyes, ear, skin, mouth and also gastrointestinal symptoms. To avoid getting sick by swimming, try to not swallow the pool water in to your mouth and always take a shower with a soap before diving into the pool.

8. Walking shoes

The eighth place is the most dangerous one as we carelessly move in to our rooms without a thought about the shoes that we are wearing. Shoes can easily carry germs, pesticides and other forms of toxins to your home and affect your health. To cut down the number of germs carried inside your home, you should always ask to guests to wipe their shoes on the mats .

9. Untidy nails

The ninth place perhaps is an easy escape for germs to find. The longer fingernails and unclean nails are often the reasons why certain people get prone to nail infections. Pinworms, dust and germs often gets accumulated in the nails. And thus to avoid all this, you should keep your nails trimmed, short and scrub them often to get rid of all the germs. Avoid biting your nails to prevent the intake of germs in your mouth directly.

Things to remember

1. Dust mites grow in pillows and they feed in flakes of skin that get dropped onto the pillows.

2. Pinworms get transferred in your nails and can cause infection.

3. Small trimmed nails are better than long ones to avoid any infection.

4. Swimming in contaminated water causes gastrointestinal symptoms as well.

Today's Top Articles:

Scroll to Top