Where the Cold Germs Hide in Your Home

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

07 Nov 2008 01:48 PM

If someone comes down with a cold or flu in your household, it is usually inevitable that at least one other family member will get it. At least that is the way it is in my household. By the time one person starts exhibiting the symptoms, chances are that we have all already been exposed to the same germs. That still doesn't stop me from disinfecting everything in sight.

But what if someone who appears ill comes to visit you in your home? It could be anyone from a friend stopping by to little kids at a playdate. While I don't suggest donning a mask and making the sick person feel unwelcome, there are some precautions you can take. Wash everyone's hands frequently, and keep those hands away from faces, since germs can easily enter through the eyes, nose and mouth.

If the germs are entering your home for the first time, you can eradicate them as soon as your guest leaves by targeting the hot spots of these germs. Pick the most likely places that might be fostering germs and then start there.

A recent study was done at the University of Virginia in which scientists tested common surfaces in the homes of people who have colds. They made some interesting finds. Here are the places where those germs were most likely to hide:

• Refrigerator doors and handles
• Salt and pepper shakers
• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Remote controls
• Bathroom faucets (this was a big one)
• Phones
• Dishwasher handles

The study also showed that the virus could transfer to a person's fingertips 48 hours after the surface was originally contaminated by mucus.

The study was sponsored by the company that makes Lysol, although it was independently designed, and no products were used or tested during the study.

You can use some of this data to protect yourself and your family when you are outside of the home. Whenever you touch any of the germ hot spots in a public place or at the home of a sick friend, use hand santizer or wash your hands frequently. But watch out for those bathroom faucets!

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog and caring for little ones in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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