So I've already told you about five places and things that are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. As if that wasn't enough to gross you out and make you never want to touch anything again, here are five more.
- Airplanes and flight attendants. They are exposed to thousands of people's germs each day, and it's a great way to catch a cold. Everything you touch from the seatbelt, to the armrests, to the bathroom faucets, can contain stuff you don't want in your body, so keep some of that antibacterial liquid in your carry-on bag and use it often.
- Your bed. Yep, it's a haven for dust mites. They live in your sheets, comforter, and mattress, feed on your dead skin cells, and many people are allergic to their fecal matter and dead bodies. So wash your sheets and comforter often, and place an allergy cover on your mattress to prevent dust mites from getting in.
- The lemon, lime, or orange wedge in your drink. This seems innocent enough, but in a 2007 study, 70 percent of the fruit slices tested at restaurants contained one or more of 25 different disease-causing microbes, including E. coli and fecal bacteria. So next time, just order plain water.
What else should you watch out for? To find out read more
- Your contact lens case. In a 2007 study, 34 percent of lens cases tested had creepy germs such as Serratia and Staphylococcus aureus. These can cause an inflammatory eye disease called keratitis, which can damage your cornea and result in blindness. So be sure to rinse your case every day with hot water, and it's a good idea to buy a new case every three months.
- Your shower curtain. I'm sure you've noticed that layer of nasty brownish soap scum on your vinyl curtain, and aside from looking gross, it's also a breeding ground for germs. Since vinyl shower curtains are a pain to scrub down and clean thoroughly, it's recommended to use a fabric shower curtain instead. That way you can pop it in the washing machine once a month and blast away the germs with soap and hot water.
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1my best friends mom is a flight attendant and she's super crazy about washing her hands and stuff. She never gets sick, but I know not everyone is as serious about it as her!
2I was on the plane last month for a bus trip, I got sick - I had a viral infection. Ewww, I didn't even go to the bathroom while flying and it was a 3 hour flight.
I don't think I will ever ask for lemon in my water again.
3I can't help it. I love lemon in my water. Sometimes i just have to pretend I don't read things... because if there's "fecal matter" e-coli on my lemon, it's probably on my plate that waiter just touched too.
4So Gross! When I was on a plane this spring I got a virus in my eyes from the germs on there--siiick! I never order lemons in my drink--and def. won't start now!! My contact case does get gross with makeup and stuff, I need to be more careful--and the bed things have always kept me up at night---UGHH!H
5UGGGG....I am totally worried about my contacts now!
6I wish that these posts would stop.
7
thanks for the info. 
8i heard about the lemon/lime wedge germs from a friend before too! scary to think because i usually order the lemon/lime to kill the bacteria that's in the water. humph.
9AHH! Horrible!
10you CAN wash your vinyl shower curtains in the washing machine. i also read that it's best to rinse your contact lens case with sterile solution.
11I actually splurged and got a shower liner that doesn't allow mold to stick to it. It was worth it!
I'm totally grossed out by the lemon/lime thing.. ew, can you imagine the ones that they put in your drink at the bar!! oh, I just made myself sick...
12I will never let my kids order shirley temples again.
13The thought of dust mites makes me shudder.
14Ah I love being a science nerd
15well, the lemon thing is disgusting since it tells you alot about hygiene in the restaurant... but everything else is a sound germ pressure. of course you should regularly clean everything (lenses, bed stuff and so one), but that goes without saying.
16when i worked at a resturant we used to have this metal container (not covered) filled just with limes slices and it would just basically sit there all day till they were gone so i can see how that would be germy.
17UUUGGHH.... I just took a plane to Portland and back this weekend. I feel like I need to go take a long, long bath!!
18Thank goodness I use those daily contact lenses. But I'm freaked with airplanes now since I travel a lot.
19But when you think of how we have 10x more bacteria cells than human cells in our bodies, those facts don't sound all that scary right?
20Just remember...all the germs that live on your skin do a really good job of keeping the bad germs from multiplying. Think of it as like a city: If there's a city full of people armed with guns and some crazy terrorists from another city come in to try and take over the city, they aren't going to last long.
There's a reason why when you culture bacteria, you put them on a STERILE petri dish and medium...that way, they have the space and nutrients to grow. That's why you can't translate all these lab studies into real life that easily. I mean, of course if you scrape a lemon peel and culture it, you'll probably find fecal coliforms. But yeah, if you accidentally eat some, there are enough microbes in your mouth to kill them off. Not to mention the lemon juice itself...that stuff is acidic enough to kill most bacteria.
Sorry for the rant, but I think too many people are germophobic for no good reason.
21I agree with Spectra. A lot of people wonder why I'm not a total germaphobe given what I do for a living, and I think it's had the opposite effect. While I KNOW the bacteria is there, I also know that my own immune system (along with my healthy bacteria) is doing it's job...so I don't worry too much about these studies.
But I DEFINITELY wash my hands on a regular basis
22The lemon/lime thing skeeves me out! I always get lime in my cocktails...eek.
The other ones aren't really surprising to me and I keep on top of them.
23this is my LEAST favorite sugar site, it's constantly dishing crap like this out.. seriously. annoyed with the if you walk outside you're going to die from germs, aspartame, or fried foods posts.
24I hate having a lemon in my water and specifically ask for them not to do that. I never thought about a new contact lens case since I clean them but it's something to think about.
Luckily enough when I re order my contacts my doc gives me saline solution for free with a new case.
I need to get an allergen mattress cover, I have one now but it's not anti dust mites.
25I've always been grossed out by having lemon and lime wedges in my drinks. i especially hate those "twist" peel shavings - gross!
i mean the skin is the area that has been soaked with pesticide, touched by everyone, been covered in dirt, pooped on by birds ...
26yuck! i don't want that in my drink!
Not my bed and pillowcase.
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