12 Everyday items that are germy...and ways to be 'safe'

You keep things clean, right? Wrong. About 80% of infections are transmitted by human contact. Find out what’s lurking on 12 everyday items and what you can do to keep them germ-free in this day and age… Item #1: Sponges  This kitchen “essential” is the germiest object you’ll ever touch, says University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, Ph.D. The kitchen sponge commonly carries E. coli and fecal bacteria, as well as many other microbes. “In a lot of the homes we looked at, the cleaner they were [on the surface], the more germs we found because people were spreading them around,” Gerba says. “If you don’t use a disinfectant cleaner, you’re just giving a free ride to germs.” In fact, messy guys fared better. “Usually, we found fewer [bacteria] in the homes of bachelors because they never cleaned the place,” he says. Protective Step: Zap sponges in the microwave for one to two minutes weekly or run them through the dishwasher. It will kill off any organisms growing inside. You should also replace sponges at least monthly. Item #2: Women’s purses The inside of your purse may be cluttered, but it’s the bottom that’s crawling with tens of thousands of germs, such as E. coli and salmonella. Women innocently place their purses on germ-infested public floors and surfaces, allowing bacteria to hitch-hike on the bottom of their bag. Protective Step: Never set your purse down on the floor in a public place, especially restrooms. Public commodes are teeming with microbes, Gerba says. Hang your bag on a hook whenever possible. Item #3: Men’s walletsThey're even germier than women’s handbags. The inside of a man’s wallet probably functions as an incubator for microbes, Gerba says. “You’re sitting on it and you’re keeping all your money and anything that’s degradable nice and warm and there is higher moisture content.” Protective Step: Don’t load up your wallet with papers, and if you can, keep your dollar bills in a separate compartment. Whenever possible, pull it out of your back pocket and let it breathe. Item #4: Makeup case Heading out for a night on the town? While you’re freshening up with lipstick, you’re also probably slapping on some extra bacteria. Women’s makeup cases are high on Gerba’s list of germiest items. “The makeup creates something for the microbes to grow in and stick to.”  Protective Step: Leather cosmetic cases are easier to wipe down and disinfect than fabric ones. Pull your makeup out and clean the case every week or so with a disinfecting wipe (don’t use an anti-bacterial one because it won’t kill infection-spreading viruses), or spray a germicide, such as Lysol, onto a paper towel and wipe down the surface. Also, replace your makeup according to expiration dates. Anything that touches your eyes, such as mascara, should be ditched every 3-6 months to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination that can lead to eye infections. Item #5: Remote controlEverybody handles this item, but few people think about cleaning it. Because it’s touched by many hands – those expert transmitters of germs – pay attention to the remote control next time you’re cleaning house. Protective Step: Regularly wipe down all remote controls with a disinfecting wipe or spray. If you can remember to do so, wash your hands before you sit down to watch TV. Or keep a bottle of disinfecting hand gel next to the remote or TV. Item #6: Pillows and mattress The average person sheds about 1.5 million skin cells per hour and perspires one quart per day while doing nothing, says Phillip Tierno, Ph.D., director of clinical microbiology and diagnostic immunology at the New York University Medical Center and author of The Secret Life of Germs (Atria). A mattress doubles in weight every 10 years because of added fungal mold and spores, bacteria, chemicals, dust, lint, fibers, dust mites, insect parts and a host of other items to your bed. After five years, 10% of the weight of a pillow is dust mites. “It’s like a zoo,” Tierno says, “an eco-system in your pillow and mattress.” How’s that for a lullaby? Protective Step: Cover your mattress and pillows with impervious outer covers and do the same for your box spring. “Allergy-proof coverings seal the mattress and pillow, preventing anything from getting in or out, which protects you,” Tierno says. He also suggests that you wash your sheets in hot water every seven days. Item #7: Refillable liquid soap dispensersFecal bacteria grow in refillable soap dispensers, Gerba says. “You can get as many as 10 million bacteria on your hands every time you use one,” he says. “They grow in the soap.” Protective Step: Don’t reuse soap dispensers! Even if it isn’t green, buy a new one when you run out. Item #8: PDA When examining items in men’s offices, Gerba found that BlackBerries and other personal digital assistants were among the top germiest items. In fact, PDAs came in third, behind men’s wallets and women’s purses. Protective Step: Keep your hands clean by washing them regularly and/or using alcohol sprays or gels, which can reduce illness by 30%-50%, Gerba says. Tierno suggests cleaning your hands with alcohol wipes. “The alcoholic wipe has the same concentration, but you’re rubbing." The friction removes the cells that contain germs. Also, wipe down your PDA regularly with a disinfecting wipe or germicidal spray. Item #9: Phones Of all the items you touch daily, your phone is guaranteed to make direct contact with your face. Frighteningly, it was where Gerba found methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a drug-resistant form of staph bacteria that can cause serious skin and blood infections, which can turn fatal. Protective Step: If possible, don’t share phones. Wipe down your office, home and cell phones regularly with disinfecting wipes or a paper towel sprayed with a germicidal agent. Item #10: Bottom of the desk drawerThe desk drawer bottom is the moldiest site Gerba sampled in offices around the country. He also found MRSA also found there. “Seventy percent of women and about 40 percent of men have food in their desks,” he says. Unfortunately for the fairer sex, the foods women store – apples, bananas, granola bars – tend to be more biodegradable, creating more opportunity for mold and other bacteria to develop. Protective Step: Keep food stored in airtight containers and be diligent about cleaning food out of your desk regularly. Wipe down the surface of the desk drawer bottom with disinfecting wipes or germicidal spray on regularly. Item #11: Computer mouse Chances are your hand is touching one right now. Not only is the computer mouse a common breeding ground for MRSA, it also ranks among the top four moldiest spots in the office. And, according to Gerba’s studies, if yeast and/or mold is in one place in your office, it’s all over. Protective Step: Again, use disinfectant. People who use disinfectants have only one-quarter the number of bacteria of those who don’t. Item #12: Door handle We know our hands play a major role in spreading illness. Door handles are a major source of germs and viruses. “When a person is ill and in the office, he’s laying a minefield of viruses behind him while he coughs and sneezes and touches things,” Gerba says. “You really run a germ gauntlet during the flu and cold season.”Protective Step: “I spray my doorknobs, particularly if someone with a hint of a cold walks in,” he says. Germicidal sprays, such as Lysol with alcohol, are excellent remedies because they reduce the influenza virus, Tierno says. Some germs aren't contained to one spot. Cars, in particular, have a variety of bacteria-laden surfaces. Think you're being clean by wiping the steering wheel? Not true. Dashboards, door handles and cup holders in cars sampled around the country had an average of 10,000 bacteria per four square inches, Gerba found. The bigger the car, the more germs there were, probably because more kids usually travel in them. And where kids are, germs follow. The worst kinds of bacteria were found in cars in such humid climates as Florida; molds were rampant in cars in cold cities like Chicago. “Cars act like a refrigerator in Chicago and a sauna in Florida,” Gerba says. Protective Step: Wipe down the surfaces of your car with disinfectant wipes. Minimize eating in your car as much as possible; food is a major cause of bacteria. If you must eat on the go, vacuum particles left on the seats, upholstery and carpet.