Germs are freaking everywhere. It's amazing that the world didn't lose its collective mind when microscopes showed us that tiny creatures are all around us, on furniture, in our food, inside our stomachs. We just got on with things, really. It's important not to forget these things are there though, lest we forget the dangers. With that in mind, let me remind you of those microscopic menaces with these 10 horrifying hygiene facts:
1) Flushing the toilet without closing the lid can spray germs up to 6 feet away. Does that mean shit particles land on your toothbrush? You bet it does!2) The average kitchen chopping board has twice the amount of faecal bacteria than the average toilet seat. Turning your BLT into a BLTS.
3) You really must stop neglecting the washing of your belly button. A study has shown that the human navel is home to 2365 kinds of bacteria.
4) A lady's dainty handbag can carry up to 10,000 bacteria per square inch about a third of which is pure faecal bacteria.
5) The “five-second rule” is complete horseshit as food that's dropped on the ground is immediately contaminated. Did anyone out there actually think that was a real rule? You did? You should be embarrassed.
6) What is the world's most deadly and unassuming killer, you ask? Why, your fridge salad drawer, of course! It can contain more than 750 times the level of bacteria that's considered safe.
7) A study has shown that TV remote controls are the leading carriers of bacteria in hospital rooms.
8) Turn up the heat on your washing machine because your laundry may not be as clean as you thought. Bacteria linked to skin and urine infections can only be killed at 40 degrees celsius and above.
9) Word on the street is that there's a lot of mommas out there that are positively filthy. Literally. 43% of mothers don’t wash their hands after changing their baby’s nappy.
10) We started this list with faecal matter and dammit, we'll finish with faecal matter. More than one in four commuters have trace amounts of shit on their hands. Keep that in mind next time you're reaching for the handrail on the bus. *Vom*
