4. Using a hand dryer
The fact that we don’t touch a dryer with our hands is just an illusion of cleanness. In fact, electric dryers are pretty unhygienic: they catch a lot of bacteria and spread them with an airflow and they may get into one’s lungs, skin, or body. Paper towels are more efficient and cleaner than electric hand dryers.
5. Using a food bag more than once
A bag used more than once has a lot of germs on it in 99.9% of the time. If you bought raw meat in a bag (even if it was packed), chances are that bacteria will spread on other products, especially fruits and vegetables. The solution is to use a disposable bag or a tote bag that you’ll have to wash every time.
6. Cutting meat and vegetables on the same board
Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist, claims that a cutting board contains 200 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, that’s why it is not safe to cut salad on it. After cutting raw meat, a board is contaminated with salmonella and campylobacter — the two most well-spread reasons of food poisoning. The solution is to use 2 different cutting boards for meat and vegetables and choose glass boards over wooden ones.
7. Using an office coffee machine
A coffee machine reservoir is an appropriate environment for different types of bacteria. There are more germs on an office coffee machine than on a bathroom doorknob in your home. In order to protect your health, wash the reservoir as often as possible using very hot water and dishwashing soap. It’s safer to make one portion of coffee.
8. Keeping your phone in your purse
It may seem that your purse or backpack is a nice and clean place where your gadget is completely protected from the surrounding environment, but this isn’t true. It’s better to keep your phone in a pocket and put it in a case — this is how it gets less contaminated with germs. An average phone is 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat. It’s better to wipe your phone with a wet wipe every day.
9. Cleaning winter clothes in spring
How often do you decide to leave gloves and a scarf into a laundry basket? Specialists recommend washing hats, scarves, and gloves once every 1-2 weeks. These articles of clothing contact our mouths and noses quite often. They accumulate germs and our immune system can weaken if there’s constant contact.
10. Defrosting food at room temperature
We rarely think about the way the temperature of our environment and the speed of defrosting influence the quality of food. Leaving meat and fish in a bowl directly on a table is harmful. In order to prevent germs from multiplying, it’s better to leave meat and fish to defrost in the fridge.
Bonus: share your food with your friends — it’s good for your health.
Your immune system will be thankful if you don’t hesitate to eat a dessert from one and the same plate with your beloved or share French fries with your friends. Specialists say that this is how we exchange good bacteria. However, this is not applied to those who are sick —it’s not healthy to share dishes with someone who is ill.
source bright side
