I can admit I might be a bit of a germaphobe. I'm constantly washing my hands, using hand sanitizer, and cleaning my home. I often observe others in horror when they touch dirty surfaces and don't wash their hands. It can be difficult to think of all the possible sources of germs you might bring into your home from the outside world. Here are just a few things I could think of that might easily be overlooked. I'll also share how you can protect yourself so you can live a cleaner, healthier life and avoid sickness!
1. Cash/Coins
Money is constantly being handled by strangers who could be sick or not have the best hygiene habits. You always want to scrub your hands with soap and hot water after touching cash or coins. Not to mention, your hands will smell metallic if you don't. This is a must!
2. Doorknobs and Handles
Doorknobs and handles are gripped often by many different people coming and going. This includes all doorknobs in your house, the refrigerator handle, and car door handles. While I'm at it, the steering wheel in your car and light switches could also be included in this category. A good habit to get into is to clean these surfaces every once in a while and always wash your hands when you come back into your house.
3. Cell Phones
You probably bring your cell phone with you everywhere and are often using it while out in public. For this reason, cell phones are germ magnets. I clean my phone several times a week by dipping a cotton pad into some rubbing alcohol and wiping the entire surface of the phone. This will kill germs and leave your phone shiny and clean. The alcohol dries quickly so it won't cause any damage. This is an easy but crucial habit to start now!
4. Shoes
This is one I recently realized after growing up sometimes wearing shoes in the house! When you really think about it, the bottoms of your shoes are disgusting. If you walk into the grocery store bathroom, do you really want to track whatever is on them to the floor where your kids play? I now have a no shoes policy in my home.
5. Mail, Groceries, New Purchases
I lumped all these into one category because they are all things you're bringing into your home from public places. If I touch mail or unload groceries, I always wash my hands when I'm done. All new clothing is immediately washed to get rid of anything they could have picked up at the store.
If you think about this too much, you can make yourself crazy. I find if I just do my best when I can and don't worry if something happens out of my control, my life is much better. Use common sense and do your best to maintain a clean environment for you and your family.
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