I am not terribly obsessive about germs. We all know they are around us. We also know that it’s virtually impossible to lead a sterile life. Still, there are some times when it pays to avoid germs, and winter cold season is one of them.
\nI was in the doctor’s office with Elegante Mother last Monday. She had a follow-up visit with the doc. I picked up a copy of “WebMD” (because Hugh Laurie of “House, M.D. fame was on the cover *G*), and came across an article titled “Germ Warfare.” I thought I knew a lot about protecting myself, but this article opened my eyes.
\nI’ve seen the liners for grocery cart seats that people use now, as a barrier between their children and the germy cart, and thought that was an inspired idea. Do you think I made the leap from protecting the little ones to protecting myself or Elegante Mother?? Darn! I REALLY need to be looking at the bigger picture. Our grocery store offers sanitary wipes to use on the cart handles. I vow I will never push a cart that hasn’t been wiped down first.
\nAs kids, we were taught to cover our mouth with a hand or a tissue when we sneezed or coughed. Now, we are more commonly being told to sneeze into our elbow or shoulder, so that we don’t contaminate our hands, and then contaminate whatever we touch. Smart, huh?? Of course, it makes for really yucky looking clothes… *G*
\nAs a sidebar to that, check out your doctor. Is he still wearing a tie? I didn’t realize it, but there is a trend toward tie-less doctors as another way of limiting contamination. Think about it. A patient sneezes on the doc, and then his tie gets dragged across his next patient as he leans forward to examine them. It’s just one more place I wouldn’t have looked for germs!
\nI didn’t realize how many public places or things there are that we need to avoid if we are serious about not spreading germs. I NEVER thought about elevator buttons, or the hand rails on escalators. Out here in suburbia, we don’t have subways to deal with, but those of you who are city dwellers will pick up germs if you are a strap-hanger. Besides, a subway train is similar to an airplane. If someone within three feet of you is ill, you’re at risk.
\nBecause I work at home, and spend so much time in the kitchen, the information about “what’s the germiest” at home interested me. The sponge at the kitchen sink is the worst offender, followed by the dishcloth. We’ve known for some time that sponges could be heated in the microwave for two minutes to sanitize them. Let me say, DAMP sponges. Apparently, when this was suggested in England, there were a number of house fires because they nuked dry sponges.
\nWe change the dish cloth at least every day, sometimes several times within a day, depending on what’s going on in the kitchen. And, I use a bleach product on the sink and counters regularly.
\nIn descending order, the rest of the germy list is the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, cutting boards, the kitchen floor, the bathroom floor, the bathroom counter, and at the very last….the toilet!
\nSo….having written all this about germs, I’d still tell you that I do not obsess about them. I try to make intelligent choices. I clean what I can, avoid some of the rest, and accept that some contact with germs is not a bad thing.
\nI have a parting shot for you. Wash your hands frequently during cold season! Use warm water, soap, and 15 – 20 seconds of scrubbing. If you’re not sure about the time, sing “Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday dear Meeeeeee-eeeeeeee, Happy Birthday to me,” twice.
\nNow go forth and lead a healthier life! *G*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am not terribly obsessive about germs. We all know they are around us. We also know that it’s virtually impossible to lead a sterile life. Still, there are some times when it pays to avoid germs, and winter cold … Continue reading