Germs & Bacteria... How Paranoid Are You?
Germaphobes Unite!
I heard a bit on the Bob & Tom Show yesterday that reminded me of just how germaphobic we are, as a society, these days. Self included, though not nearly to the extreme as others.
Particularly lately, it seems that there have been a number of reports in the news about the phenomenon of germs invading our lives and becoming most prevalent in some of the least likely places: ice cubes at fast-food chains, computer desktops and keyboards, the TV remote control, hot tubs, shopping cart handles, and of course... the whole multitude of places inside public restrooms including toilet seats, electric hand dryers, towel rollers, door handles & more!
My germy quirks, as I call them, could probably be classified more as precautionary steps rather than as a personal paranoia about germs. Regardless, they're still germ-related, so I'm posting them here for your enjoyment.
Okay, here goes...
Let me preface this by saying: It's common knowledge that we all need some germs in our lives in order for our bodies to be able to keep building resistance to the bad stuff.
So there really is a limit to how clean we all should want to be.
Germy Quirk #1: Bad Smells
Trust me when I say... I don't breathe "in" when I'm walking past people I don't know.
Weird? Maybe. But I'm just not fond of strangers' smells -- be it body odors or stale breath. That, and I tend to think I'm avoiding getting a cold, flu, or any other airborne disease if I don't inhale in the presence of people who are "carriers".
Besides, there's absolutely nothing worse than B.O. that you can't escape from... or coffee breath... or raunchy cigarette smoker's breath! Eeeeewwwww.
Germy Quirk #2: Public Restrooms
Along the lines of bad things you can't escape from: Public restrooms. That's partly why I'm known as "the world's quickest woman pee'er". (No joke here. I can do my thing, wash my hands, dry my hands, and still get out of there quicker than a guy who enters at the same time as me!)
The reason: I can't stand the smells. (That, and I'm holding my breath most of the time I'm in there -- so there's an added incentive to make it out quick... and alive!)
Don't get the wrong impression...
I'm not a "girly girl" or anything. I've done my fair share of peeing in cups (when I was a kid... long cross-country drives... Dad would stop for nothing!), squatting by trees (usually involved lots of drinking... and lots of loud music... back in the day), sh*tting in the woods (well, we won't go there), and dripping dry (at practically every public restroom at every concert venue I've ever been to -- they never have enough toilet paper to get through the night!).
But those were out of necessity more than anything else.
Germy Quirk #3: Pre-Touched Toilet Paper
In a public restroom, I always tear off the first square or two of toilet paper and throw it away. Cuz you know that's the part that's been touched by someone else and/or stepped on (...especially if it's been left to dangle from the toilet paper holder).
Add to that, this:
At a public restroom, whenever there's toilet paper not in the toilet paper holder but next to it and intended to be used. I never use it. I'd almost rather "drip dry". The odds are just too great that the roll has fallen on the bathroom floor and rolled around, been kicked around, and handled by everyone who visited before me! (At least I'm not alone on this one.)
Here's a funny story about a dog & a roll of toilet paper, plus a link to Bud Light's "Mr. Restroom Toilet Paper Refiller".
Germy Quirk #4: Self-Serve Buffets & Soda Machines
Whenever I'm refilling my soda, I make sure my cup never touches the lever that you push to dispense the ice. And I make sure that my cup never touches the lever that you push to dispense the soda. Just the thought of the hundreds of people who have refilled their cups there... it would be like pressing their lips up to mine if I let my cup touch where their lips had been.
At an all-u-can-eat buffet (I've gotta admit, I love 'em), I don't pick from the top. Instead, I dig way down underneath the top layer (or all the way in the back) to get a piece of food that no one else has even come near. In my mind, the food items placed in the front row on a buffet are the most frequently sampled (and double-dipped) by young kids who have a habit of fingering food items before they make their selection. (Don't laugh, I've seen it happen. You probably have too.)
And I've never made a point to do this, but after hearing Allison Janse talk about this on the Bob & Tom show yesterday, I think I'll start: Never select a plate from the top of the stack at a food buffet. Instead, choose one from the middle, reducing your odds of selecting one that's already been handled by people.
So, what other "germy" kind of OCD things do you do? (or not do?)...
Proof that things aren't always what they seem:
Like Greg, I apologize for product promotion but we have a very little product that can help the spread of germs on telephone receivers, door knobs, toilet flushers... any number of uses for very little money. Our product are mini-covers - that's it! They are 3" disposable covers made of surgical mask material. They are great for home, office and travel. They come in fun colors - white,black,green and blue. Buy a small individual package of 10 or go crazy and get a bag of 100 for less than $12! Put a bag in the office kitchen to treat your co-workers or employees. Take them on trips for use in hotels and cruise ships! Please visit our web site at www.twinzings.com - the visit is free and you can find additional uses for our mini-covers.
just think of what could be lingering on a used belt at a thrift store you do, pee poo wipe then you pull up the pants and buckle with those gross hands eewww
From flushing the toilet to exiting the door of a public restroom, every step should be hands free to avoid germ contamination.
www.autohandsfreesoap.com
Hi, I apologize in advance for leaving a commercial message, I know some bloggers really hate that, and if so, just delete it. But.... I think my company has a product that would gladden the heart of any germaphobe. It's called Room Shocker, and it allows you to totally disinfect and deodorize any room up to 500 square feet, for a lousy $21.95. If your room is bigger, 2 or more can be used. It works by emitting a gas, so you have to set it off and get out of the room, but after 3 hours you open up the room, air it out, and every bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus in that room are DEAD! As a side benefit, it oxidizes all organic odor molecules, so it deodorizes the room, including cigarette smoke odor. The gas is totally harmless to all surfaces, fabric, wood, tile, plastic, etc. It is not harmful to people or pets but it is an irritant, so you can't be in the room when you've got it working. For only $21.95 each time, you can disinfect your room as often as you please. Also, when traveling, you can disinfect your hotel room! How neat is that? As soon as you check in, set the Room Shocker off and leave the room for 3 hours. Have lunch or dinner, have a few drinks, do some sightseeing, whatever. When you come back, air out the room for a few minutes and there's not one iota of bacteria in that room. You can sleep peacefully. We have it on Amazon or you can buy from us direct at 800-338-2820. We take VISA and MasterCard. See it on our website www.titaniumsystemsllc.com ... Peace of mind for $21.95. Not bad.
Here's a great option, StepNpull. It's a simple bracket that attaches to the bottom corner of any commercial latch less door and allows the user to open the door with their foot instead of their hand. There is a short demo video on the website. www.stepnpull.com
If you think their quirks, boy, do you have it wrong. I go to the point of avoiding the restrooms all together, walking in front of a person when they sneeze or leaving the room and avoid going in with dissinfectant spray until they leave. If I have to, I hold my breath or I will end up vomiting. I wasn't afraid of germs until my hight School year. My last year, the whole school began to diappear because of the flu and cold season. I was terrified because at the time the flu could kill my Father because of emphycema. I used one sleeve of my sweaters for opening doors if I didn't have a clean tissue handy and I used the other as a mask. My teachers when they made me put my hands down I held my breath until they weren't looking and I didn't get sick because of it, that and constant prayer that it wouldn't catch me. I panic if anyone in my home gets sick and hybernate in my room for a week. I hold my breath if I leave the room and use the pray as much a possible. If I do get sick I hold up in my room and take medicine at the first signs of slowing down. By doing so, I am better in three or four days and no one is the wiser. I go as far as cleaning the desk after every family member has used it and spray the remote with disinfectant. They say it doesn't work, but I beg- to- differ. It keeps everything clean and so do the wipes.
I enjoyed this bathroom germ article because it was informative but mostly humorous (to me) because I don't touch anything in a public john either. I've held my breath many a time, although not always; I don't touch anything with my bare hands. I have very good balance and use it to flush and I use a paper towel to open the door and turn the water off with after I wash my hands. At home, I keep my toothbrush head covered (it's an ultrasonic so it came with a cover for the brush head), etc., you get the picture.
Thanks for sharing.