Bacteria, biologicals, and germs are everywhere. With over 60,000 different types of germs and each occupant having their own personal susceptibility to different germs, it’s important to know where these germs hide so that we can eliminate or reduce exposure to them.
Prevention is the best practice. Limiting contact with germs, cleaning regularly, and the practice of washing our hands prevents much of the potential for exposure. But, knowing where these germs hide help us determine our cleaning practices.
LAUNDRY MACHINES are a great collector of an immense amount of germs. Think of the germs we collect on our clothes every day, from dust and dirt on our outer clothing to E.coli on our undergarments. It’s important to wash clothing in hot water and to dry clothing for a minimum of 45 minutes.
KITCHEN FAUCETS, the handles and the aeration screen, should be disinfected regularly. Germs from our hands and contaminated food can reside on both. The moisture around the faucet and sink allow for the collection of biologicals and bacteria as well as providing both with the nutrients they need to grow.
CAR DASHBOARDS have numerous touch points, including the steering wheel, audio and thermostat controllers, and vents. Germs from our hands are passed to these touch points. The air coming from the outdoors through the windows and vents carry with them biologicals and bacteria that stick to the dashboard. Wiping down the dashboard regularly will reduce the number of contaminants we are exposed to.
CELL PHONES are constantly being set down in places where we would never think to put our mouth. Yet, we move the phone from those surfaces to our mouth without a thought. Both the surfaces of the phone and the crevices of the phone are perfect hiding places for germs. Cell phones should be disinfected daily.
VACUUM CLEANERS should always be emptied outdoors. We’ve worked on getting them air-tight or made sure that they were equipped with HEPA filters to remove particulates as small as 2 microns. The last thing we want to do is open the vacuum and release their contents into our indoor environment.
GYM EQUIPMENT, workout gloves, and their polyester fabric gather germs from all who touch them. Wiping down the equipment before and after use can reduce potential exposures. Using hand sanitizers is a wise move as well.
MONEY is the root of all evil. Not sure about that … but it is a strong hoarder of germs. Coins, dollars, and plastic money pass through hundreds of dirty hands daily.
Regular cleaning and disinfecting protect us from these hidden sources of germs. Identifying hidden sources of germ retainers allows us to know where we need to focus our cleaning energy. Good and regular cleaning routines will limit exposure to germs and will keep our indoor environment healthy.
For a copy of Baxter Group, Inc.’s e-book BREATHE HEALTHY, our HEALTHY BUILDINGS CHECK UP or more information on Baxter Group, Inc.’s Breathe Healthy Initiative visit baxtergroupinc.com.