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Microbiologists warn: there are more bacteria lurking on the keyboard of your cell than on the toilet seat!
The dirtiest items – a mobile phone
It would seem that a cell phone is a personal item, so it cannot be a threat to us. Hardly any of us clean their phones properly. He should. After all, we talk everywhere: in the tram, shop, while shopping. We touch the railing on the bus or the toilet flush, then grab the phone. Prof. Joanna Verran from Manchester Metropolitan University discovered that the cell’s secretions (saliva, sweat, epidermis) are deposited on the cell, which are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. According to prof. Verran’s constant use of a mobile phone in different places and the warmth it generates have made it the perfect home for toxic bacteria. According to researchers from Manchester, our phones contain five times more bacteria than on the toilet seat, shoe sole or door handle.
- How do I clean my phone to get rid of viruses?
The dirtiest items – money
They are really dirty! We all know it, but we rarely wash our hands after each contact with them. Researchers from the American Wright Patterson Medical Center in Dayton have checked what is on the money. They went to an ordinary grocery store and asked the people in the line to exchange one note in their purse for a new one. In this way, they collected 68 banknotes from people and looked at them under a microscope. Out of five they found the most virulent bacteria – staphylococcus aureus and the bacillus pneumoniae (Klebsiella pneumoniae). On the other hand, 59 banknotes contained bacteria dangerous to immunocompromised people, and only four were fairly clean. So maybe it’s better to pay with a credit card in the store?
- Not only cell phones. These items contain the most viruses
The dirtiest items – the shopping cart
Hundreds of people touch the handles of a shopping trolley every day. Sometimes with a runny nose, sometimes those who snack on the way, or have just left the toilet without washing their hands. As demonstrated by microbiologists at the University of Arizona, there are more saliva, feces and pathogenic bacteria on the handles of shopping carts than in public toilets. – We wash the carts in batches, once a month – says Dorota Patejko, spokesman for Auchan in Poland. But even if the store staff cleaned the carts every day, it would still not be possible to keep them properly clean with the huge number of people using them.
The dirtiest items – lipstick and mascara
Cosmetics used daily collect microbes that cause inflammation of the mouth and eyes. Experts from the College of Optometrists in London warn that dirty, often expired mascaras are prone to redness, irritation and watery eyes. Scientists advise against using testers in stores where one lipstick can be used by hundreds of ladies. Dr. Hazel Barton from Northern Kentucky University found in lipstick and mascar testers, among others golden staphylococcus. So maybe it’s better to buy eye lipstick. Even if we miss the color, we won’t get any nasty stuff.
The dirtiest items – computer keyboard
The worst, of course, are those connected to computers that are used by many people. But also our private keyboards are teeming with pathogenic microbes. As microbiologist James Francis of Kingmoor Technical Services proves in a 2009 study for Which? Computing ”, keyboards hide, for example, E.coli bacteria and other fecal bacteria that can cause indigestion and diarrhea. In the examined 30 keyboards from London offices, the scientist also found very dangerous, antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus marked with the abbreviation MRSA.
The dirtiest items – kitchen sponge
The dirtiest room in the house is the kitchen! The kitchen sponge is a favorite place for bacteria because of its porosity and moisture. The sponge is difficult to disinfect. “It’s a good idea to soak it and heat it for two minutes in the microwave,” advises Dr. Neil Schachter of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Or an exchange.
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The dirtiest items – hand dryer in the public toilet
It would seem that it is a very hygienic device – you do not have to touch it while using it. However, this is not true. Dr. Keith Redway, a microbiologist at the University of Westminster, argues that a warm dryer provides ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria and viruses. As the hot air blows, the bacteria settle on your hands. New types of dryers are increasingly equipped with filters that stop microbes. However, if you are not sure under which dryer you are drying your hands, it is better to wipe them with a paper towel.
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