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If you think it’s your toilet, you’d be dead wrong. The autumn is here, and we all are spending more time indoors at home and in the kitchen. It’s also the time when more germs are flying around including not only CoVid, influenza, and RSV, but the old standbys strep staph, and e.coli. Don’t forget too, that there’s plenty of fungus among us. This being the case, it’s a great time to review data from the National Sanitation Foundation after they determined germ counts on the items around our home that we constantly touchh. The survey was completed to help all of us avoid contaminating ourselves by reminding us just how many germs pollute the things we love to touch.

The filthiest was your dish sponge or dish rag at 362,631,038 bugs per gram. The cleanest was your car’s steering wheel with only 4 germs per 10 m2. Between these two were 28 items with decreasing microbiologic contamination. Between these two were 28 items you constantly touch with decreasing microbiologic contamination. All numbers are microorganisms per 10 cm2.

Let’s run through the items quickly, and you’ll be surprised at the numbers.

Kitchen Sink 11,381,285; Toothbrush Holder 2,465,876; Pet Bowl 1,476,612; Coffee Machine Reservoir 548,270; Bathroom Faucet Handle 17,976; Pet Toy Tennis Ball 14,121; Countertop 4,590; Stove Knobs 992; Cutting Board 713; Toilet Seat 515; Pens 306; Bathroom Doorknob 257; Bathroom Light Switch 219; Microwave Handle 202; Keys 200; Cell Phone 178; Gear Shift 123; Toilet Handle 107;

Car Door Handle 97; Refrigerator Handle 97; Lunch Box 75; Video Game Controller 60; Remote Control 57; Bottom of Purse 45; Wallet 37; Keyboard 37; Money 11.

Knowing these numbers, liberally cleanse these items with soap and water or with household cleaners. Don’t get sick from the items you love to handle.

https://d2evkimvhatqav.cloudfront.net/documents/2011_NSF_Household_Germ_Study_exec-summary.pdf

#householdfilth #germs #bacteria #viruses #fungi #contamination #sanitation

The Filthiest Places You’ll Touch

Dr. Howard Smith Reports