Germs & Bacteria... How Paranoid Are You?

Let me preface this by saying: It's common knowledge that we all need some bad 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 really 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 wouldn't stop for NOTHIN!), 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.

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. Instead, choose one from the middle, reducing your odds of selecting one that's already been handled by people.

Here's a bit about our favorite buffet restaurant, plus a link to Bud Light's "Mr. All-U-Can-Eat Buffet Inventor".

So, what other "germy" kind of OCD things do you do? (or not do?)...

Germ-Free Tips You Can Use

Here are some tips for staying germ-free I think I'll actually start using myself:

In The Kitchen: Sterilize your kitchen sink sponge by tossing it in the microwave for 30 seconds! (A dry sponge can be sterilized in the microwave in 30 seconds, a wet sponge in one minute.) Here's why cleaning a dirty sponge in the dishwasher isn't enough.

When Shopping: Use the sanitizing wipes that many supermarkets place near their shopping carts to wipe down the handle of your grocery cart.

At The Gym: Use a hand sanitizer to kill germs as you move from one piece of equipment to the next, and lay towels over equipment before using it.

In Hotels: Upon entering a hotel room, consider removing the bedspread, wiping down the remote control, and requesting fresh pillows. Oh, and never go barefoot in the hotel!

On Airplanes: On-board pillows and blankets are, arguably, sources of bacteria that could be passed from passenger to passenger, however, there's no denying the fact that the water on planes may not be clean enough to even wash your hands with!

In the Doctor's Office/Pharmacy: Don't touch anything! Not even the magazines which are handled by sick people. And, since most children put things in their mouths, your kids shouldn't be allowed to play with the toys found at the doctor's office either.

When Washing Hands: Make sure your soap really lathers up when washing your hands, and be sure to clean between fingers, under rings and fingernails. To make sure you wash long enough to kill the germs, sing the Happy Birthday song to yourself. When the song's over, you're done.

I've said it before: Antibacterial soaps are unnecessary and cause far more harm than good. (Source: Dr. Joseph Mercola)

What I Learned Today...
The germs reported in the studies above are not anything new. We have, in fact, been living and functioning quite well in the presence of germs in each of the above locations for years now. The only thing new is the mass hysteria and hype that germs are receiving in the press these days. (It all seems to have started right about the time those anti-bacterial products hit the market... right?)

RELATED:
More About Shopping Cart Germs (...plus video)
Protecting Your Family From Germs
Top 9 Jobs Where Bacteria Thrive
American's Dirty Secrets Revealed
Public Restroom Tips (...for owners of public restrooms)
Hand-drying Techniques Don't Affect Bacteria Control
12 Germ & Bacteria Hot Spots
News Flash: Toilet Seats Aren't That Dirty!

Proof that things aren't always what they seem...