7 Public Places That Have More Bacteria Than You Think

Washing hands before eating, periodically cleaning the computer keyboard and disinfecting the cell phone screen from time to time are already part of the daily habits that people know they should adopt. However, nasty bacteria don’t just hide in objects we use in everyday life, but also in public places. In your work kitchen, in the bathroom at the gym or even in the beautiful restaurant you usually go to. Experts warn that these places aren’t as safe as you might think.

so that the bacteria staph and e.coli don’t catch you off guard, awesome.club investigated which places are the dirtiest and how you can protect yourself from them.

Several studies carried out by Charles Gerba, from the University of Arizona, USA, have proven that offices are not clean places. The dirtiest spots, as expected, are the bathroom faucets. Right after them come microwave and refrigerator doors, coffee pot knobs and water filters. The composition of molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) exceeds the recommended norm by three times.

Data from another study indicate that office desks serve as a home for about 10 million bacteria, a number 400 times greater than a toilet seat. Experts at hygiene company Kimberly-Clark say that kitchens and break areas in offices can be a breeding ground for harmful, disease-causing microorganisms.

Do you want your working days to provide only moral and material satisfaction, and not compromise your health? So try to clean regularly with disinfectant products, at least in the most risky places.

Airplane is the safest, fastest and most convenient means of transport. However, scholars from the University of Nottingham (in England) and the National Institute of Health and Welfare in Finland explained that contaminated airports pose a serious threat to health. Research analyzed 90 solid surfaces and found respiratory viruses in 10% of the samples.

Check-in machine screens, escalator handrails, toys in children’s areas and plastic containers for personal objects (especially the latter) had a higher concentration of microbes than toilet flush buttons. The rigid materials from which plastic containers are made do not allow moisture or air to pass through, and they reach us immediately after the previous passenger. They often contain rhinoviruses, which cause colds, coronaviruses, adenoviruses and the flu. And bacteria live on these surfaces for up to 2 days.

Decreasing the risk of infection is not difficult: use disinfectant and wash your hands after having contact with the objects mentioned above.

The tables in airplane seats can hide an unpleasant surprise. Bacteria were found on its surface. staph and e.coli🇧🇷 Not to mention that many passengers leave used napkins, handkerchiefs, packaging, chewing gum, etc. in it, and that’s in the best case scenario. And the same goes for the bags that sit on the seat in front of you.

Another important point: unwanted micro-organisms were found in the air-conditioning passages of the planes. Therefore, it never hurts to take disinfectant wipes with you to clean the ventilation and the tables. Incidentally, experts have found that the water used to prepare coffee and tea on aircraft is also dangerous. Therefore, it is better to avoid its consumption.

For most people, visits to supermarkets are made every week, or even every day. But when buying your favorite foods and products, you have to be alert. Scientists from Michigan, USA, checked 42 supermarket conveyor belts and not only found staph, as well as fungus and mold. After going to the supermarket, the ideal is not only to wash your hands, but also to sanitize all the products that passed through the conveyor belt at the checkout. In fact, the ideal is, before going to the cashier, to place your purchases in those disposable bags available in the fruit and vegetable section.

Fruits and vegetables, by the way, arrive at our table after passing through dozens of dirty hands and countless harmful microorganisms that penetrate them through small grooves. We recommend that you wash these foods well and cut off the damaged parts.

Research done by Richard Hastings, from the company BioCote, concluded that the amount of bacteria present in self-service keyboards is comparable to that of public restrooms. Other major hotspots for microbes are shopping carts and cash registers.

We usually attend gyms and sports clubs in order to maintain health. But expectations don’t always match reality: in gyms, there are millions of viruses and bacteria. In the locker rooms, dirty shoes share space with sweat-soaked towels that, most of the time, never completely dry. Not to mention that training mats are used by several people over the course of a day.

The aerobic exercise area is also great for the proliferation of bacteria, as this is usually where most workouts begin and end. Sweat, saliva and various unpleasant substances are deposited on treadmills, exercise bikes and other types of devices. So that your workout doesn’t become a nightmare, use your own towel and mat, and only shower using your flip flops.

Swimming pools are also not usually very clean, as this research shows. Have you ever noticed the presence of unpleasant odors when entering a public swimming pool? This should serve as a warning sign, as the smell is most likely due to a mixture of chloramine and human body secretions, which means that the pH of the water is not balanced. And such an environment is ideal for the reproduction of bacteria, in particular e.coliwhich causes dehydration of the body, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and weight loss.

When pool maintenance is done correctly, it does not emit bad odors. In addition, it is essential not to ingest the pool water and take a shower before and after entering it. Tiles should be smooth but not slippery. The bottom of the pool needs to be clear, and the water pump must make considerable noise. If you hear this noise, it’s a good sign.

As you’ve already noticed, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms are far from restricted to the bathroom. This also applies to restaurants, snack bars, bars and other service establishments. The dirtiest object in restaurants is the menu. In each square centimeter of it “live” more than 185 thousand bacteria. Ideally, waiters should clean and disinfect the pages or periodically change the menu.

Other breeding grounds for microbes are fruit slices used in dishes or drinks. More than 70% of them are contaminated by pathogenic agents, which can cause poisoning. Kitchen staff do not always carry out their duties correctly: they do not wash the fruit or use disposable gloves or antiseptic when cutting it.

Containers with salt, pepper and napkins, as well as bathroom doorknobs and liquid soap outlet buttons are also unsafe. Whenever you go to a restaurant, don’t forget to wash your hands before eating. Even better: use some antibacterial gel to disinfect them. Use paper towels instead of a hand dryer.

What methods do you use to avoid being contaminated in public places? Share your tips by leaving a comment!