Germs are everywhere! They are unavoidable, and aren’t all bad. However, excessive germs combined with a compromised immune system can spell C-O-L-D…or worse. From stomach viruses to flesh eating disease, germs are living organisms that can thrive, multiply and mutate, given the right circumstances. Here are 10 jaw-dropping statistics that will put you in the know about germs. Learn how to keep your family healthy, and what you need to do to keep your home as germ free as possible.
WHY YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF
#1. Around 70% of common illnesses are spread by hands that have touched everyday surfaces.
#2. Every 3 minutes, a child brings his or her hands to their nose or mouth.
Washing one’s hands in warm soapy water, for 20 seconds, seems to be the number one recommendation for avoiding viruses and bacteria. That would be the same amount of time as singing “Happy Birthday” twice. But once the washing is over, you still aren’t finished. You will need to rinse your hands for 10 seconds, then dry THROUGHLY with a clean towel, and then use that towel to turn off the water and open the bathroom door (when in public). When hand washing with soap and water isn’t available, then an alcohol based hand sanitizer should be plan B.
STOMACH BUG FACTS THAT WILL MAKE YOU SICK
#3. Food-borne harmful germs cause 6.5 million cases of gastroenteritis and 9,000 deaths each year.
#4. 50-80% of all food-borne illnesses originate in the home.
To prevent food-borne illness in your home, follow these easy steps.
1. Buy and Store Food Safely
2. Use Proper Food Preparation Practices
3. Store Leftover Food Properly
4. Know How Long to Store Food Safely
You can learn more about safe food handling here.
YOU SHOULD AVOID GERMS IN THE WORKPLACE
#5. Telephones harbor up to 25,127 germs per square inch.
#6. Computer keyboards harbor up to 3,295 germs per square inch.
#7. The average toilet seat has 49 germs per square inch.
Take a moment and look at your hands. What have they touched in the last 24 hours? Were all of those surfaces clean? Have you used those same hands to eat, or rub your eyes? Since there are so many germs lurking on the items that we touch, then an obvious solution to the germ war is to clean said surfaces. In these areas of your home, vehicle, and workplace, take time to disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Cleaning those super germy areas with a high- quality antimicrobial cleaner, like Monofoil•D, will help to keep you healthy! Monofoil•D is the world’s only one-step sustainable product, that kills 99.9% of bacteria… and has an antimicrobial shield. Your kitchen counters, remote controls, and light switches will have never been so clean!
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT COLDS AND FLUS?
#8. Some cold and flu germs can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.
#9. The average school-aged child contracts 4 or more colds per year, resulting in more than 164 million lost school days.
#10. People with the flu can spread it to others up to 6 feet away through coughs and sneezes.
No amount of cleaning will keep everyone in your family 100% germ free. Everyone gets sick from time to time. But when you find yourself sneezing and coughing, be sure to cover your mouth with a tissue…then throw the tissue away and wash your hands! If you don’t have a tissue, then cough or sneeze into your arm. You’ve got to keep those germs from flying through the air. And if you are sick, the BEST thing to do is to stay home, so that you keep from passing your illness to others.
What are some of the things that you do to keep you and your space germ free? We would love to hear about it!
