Unexpected Places Where Germs and Bacteria Happily Live

Germs – just that one word gives most people the willies when they hear it. The same goes for hearing the words bacteria and viruses. These buggers are thousands, even millions, of times smaller than us, but they can trigger as much fear as a 500 lb. mountain lion, and rightfully so. Enough exposure to bacteria, germs, and viruses can cause illnesses starting from the cold and ending with death in some cases.

While modern medicine has progressed quite far that many of these microscopic menaces no longer pose the same threat level as they did generations ago, there are still quite a lot out there in the world that should give modern man pause and engender caution in our everyday lives.

Thankfully, there are measures to protect one’s self from these nasty bacteria, germs, and viruses – or at least reduce the chance of being vulnerable to them. Germs and bacteria can be anywhere after all. Using sanitizing agents like hand sanitizers, high-level disinfectant or just rubbing alcohol can kill most germs and bacteria on your hands (up to 90%, in fact). Some people carry tissues to clean or handle certain items before using them.

And even just washing one’s hands before and after every meal does wonder in avoiding being a victim of germs and bacteria. But forewarned is forearmed, and there are certain unexpected places you might overlook caution when dealing with germs and bacteria. Keep an eye out for these places, as they’re easy to miss!

Escalators

Ask yourself this: how many people hold on to the escalator rail every day? Depending on where you’re located, that number could be anywhere from hundreds to thousands of people on a given day. Even the most upscale mall or building will have nasty microscopic masses crawling on those pristine-looking escalator rails. Also, notice how many escalators have a trash bin nearby. That’s the breeding ground central to germs and bacteria!

Earphones

If you’re the only one who uses your earphones for your gadgets, you might be in the clear. But remember that ear wax gets on those, which can attract germs and bacteria to congregate there. Double that chance if you’re using earphones used by anyone other than yourself (such as workplaces like contact centers or computer shops). Cleaning them before and after every use should help avoid these tiny terrors from getting in your ear!

Fast Food Restaurants

It’s quite easy to forget that fast food restaurants are a haven for germs and bacteria. The disposable forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks, etc. were still handled by naked hands. It’s best to be sure you clean them before eating.

Keyboard

You might have cleaned your hands before starting to boot up your laptop, but did you clean the keyboard first? There are nooks and crannies in the spaces between those keys where germs and bacteria could have hidden.

School Chairs

Whether in primary school or in college to university settings, you’re not the sole user of the seat you occupy during your classes. While some may see it as “uncool” to clean the chair (especially the armrest or desk), it’s better to be safe than an inadvertent trip to the nurse’s office or to the washroom due to diarrhea.

Sofa

This could also be for your favorite chair in the house (the one you’ve marked as “mine” for all your housemates to know it’s your territory). Germs and bacteria could still get there when you’re not around (like your little brother jumping up on it after a day in the playground).

Shoes

Wherever you’ve been throughout the day, be it at work, to the mall, to the beach, and so on, your shoes have been accumulating germs and bacteria from all the places you’ve gone. After you’ve taken off your shoes, clean the soles of the dirt and grime that these have latched on to.

And one place you should really be extra careful when it comes to watching out for germs and bacteria that you might neglect if you’re not careful…

Car

Tell me: how many times have you or someone riding with you sneezed or coughed inside your car? How many times do you enter and exit the car, handling the steering wheel, door handles, clutch, buttons, etc. on any ordinary day? Taking extra care to keep the car interiors germ and bacteria-free with just a disinfectant spray goes a long way in avoiding illnesses for you and your loved ones. But if you can be thorough from time to time, that’s even better.

Stay Safe- Keep Clean

Short of locking yourself in a completely sanitary environment, you will be exposed to germs and bacteria each and every day. A little extra effort in protecting yourself from these by being aware of unexpected places can keep you healthy and happy in the long run.