20 Common Unsanitary Actions Most People Don’t Realize – 2
We are back with part 2 of 20 Common Unsanitary Actions Most People Don’t Realize. If you missed part one be sure to catch it. Here is the continuing list of things we do that are pretty dirty and can even make us sick. Everyday actions we go through and don’t even realize the germs we are coming in contact with.
Taking a Dip in the Public Pool
Swimming is a fun and great way to get in some exercise and even enjoy some family time. There are many great aquatic centers being built all around the Snohomish County and North Seattle area. Many public pool spaces are not correctly cleaning their facilities. The CDC came out with a report last May that showed nearly 80% of public pool inspections came up with at least one safety violation.
Grabbing Fast Food
With our busy lives we sometimes don’t have enough time to cook a meal so we grab a quick bite at the nearest fast food joint in the middle of our tasks. Frequent fast food eaters will ingest about 12 hairs per year. Next time you are out running around you may want to give a second thought to your meal.
Wearing Perfume
Many people like to spritz on a little perfume to make a good impression or lift their mood. Who doesn’t want to smell good? Some perfumes contain interesting ingredients like ambergris. Ambergris is a fancy name for something rather yucky, ambergris is sperm whale vomit. Before you spritz on that perfume make sure it does not contain ambergris.
Sharing Headphones
Ears are actually pretty dirty parts of our body, they contain wax and other germs. If you are one of the few that clean their outer ear regularly then you are one of very few. Many people don’t clean their ears because we hear many times from our doctors not to stick a q-tip in our ear or anything for that matter. You can actually clean the outer part of the ear. All that aside you will want to avoid sharing headphones because people rarely clean their ears.
Dirty Sponges
Sponges are a great tool to help keep the home clean especially when hand washing dishes. Sponges need to be cleaned often and many people don’t clean them often enough or at all. You can clean sponges by soaking in diluted bleach or full strength vinegar or sticking in a bowl of water and microwaving. Clean your sponges at least once a week and toss after about two to eight weeks.
Shaking Hands in Flu Season
Shaking hands is a polite way to greet someone you are just meeting or in a business setting. It is also a way to share germs especially in cold and flu season and you are under the weather. You can create an awkward situation if you refuse to shake a hand, but if you are sick do not be afraid of offending someone just politely communicate you are not feeling your best and don’t want to spread germs
Taking Dog Kisses
Many of us have heard that a dog’s mouth is is cleaner than a human’s so we allow our furry friends to give us a smooch or two on the face. Studies show that although a dog’s mouth may be cleaner there is still plenty of bacteria some even leading to periodontal disease. So next time your pooch wants to show some love opt out.
Not Cleaning Your Toothbrush
Keeping your toothbrush out in the open air next to the sink in the bathroom can leave it susceptible to toilet germs. Always close the lid before flushing to avoid spraying the entire bathroom with the contents of the toilet. Men also spray germs with splash up while standing to urinate; so it is best to store toothbrushes as from from the toilet and in a cabinet if possible. If you do store in a cabinet know that dark spaces breed germs more easily. It is good to run toothbrushes in the dish washer to clean them. And always change your brush every three to six months.
Breathing Dirty Air
On average we can inhale up to one liter of other people’s bodily gases per day, add that to pollution, pollen, and anything else in the air and over a long period of time you can end up with respiratory difficulty. Keep air ducts clean and carpet as well. Carpet acts as a major air filter in your home and when it is bogged down with debris that gets kicked up in the air. Make sure to vacuum regularly and have carpets professionally cleaned at least once a year.
Hot Tubbing
Relaxing away in nice warm bubbly water is a treat for many. The warm water can be a perfect storm of germs and bacteria. Be sure to shower after you are done in the hot tub. If you own a hot tub test the water ever four days if you use it often, change the filter monthly, and drain it every four to six months.