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5 Things You Didn’t Know You Should Sanitize



Hospitals are no different than any other building; there are germs and bacteria everywhere.  Hospitals and medical facilities may be more prone to germs that promote illness, simply because sick people are coming there to get help.  You cannot eliminate every germ, but by keeping things clean and sanitized, it can make a big difference, and cut down on the spread.  There are five important things that should be cleaned and sanitized, that many people don’t even think of.

Phones Can Be A Haven For Germs

Yes, it’s gross, but that little device that you cannot live without, would probably make you sick if you saw it under a microscope.  Think of how many times a day you place that phone in your hand.  It’s a safe bet that you pick up your phone more often than you wash your hands.  Whatever is on your hand at the moment you touch that phone, is now on your phone, and it's not going away until it is sanitized.  It's hard to believe, but many phones harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat, think about that as you place next to your ear to talk.  Those small wipes designed to clean the screens of phones may seem great, but it's important to actually sanitize the phone as well.  Obviously you don’t want to soak your phone with liquid, so try using an antibacterial wipe for a quick solution.  Another great sanitizer is a blend of 40/60 alcohol/water.  You can dip a cotton ball in the solution, wring it out and wipe down the phone.  If your phone has cracks and crevices, try using cotton swab dabbed in the solution.  Wipe it down and let air dry.

Door Handles Are Germ Handlers

When people exit the restroom, in most cases, they have clean hands; at least you hope they do.  However, going in the restroom is an entirely different story.  Hands pick up germs and bacteria, there is no escaping that.  When you touch something, that bacteria on your hands is then transferred, and begin to multiply.  Think of that hospital room door and how many people touch that handle in a day.  You have essentially just touched and picked up a huge amount of germs and bacteria, just by opening the door.  Everyone thinks of cleaning the toilet seat, however, don’t forget those door handles; they can actually have more bacteria and germs than the toilet itself.  A quick solution to clean those handles would be to use a disinfecting wipe.  Just be sure to wipe down all areas of the handle, and get both sides of the door as well.  If you prefer, use an antibacterial cleaning solution and a paper towel to clean the door handle.  Bleach may not always be the best choice, after all it does bleach.  Vinegar makes a great sanitizer; just follow recommendations to use a solution that sanitizes. 

Everyone Handles The Remote Control

Whether it is a television remote, or a controller for a stereo, game system, or even a fan, you can bet it gets touched and handled by a lot of hands.  It's easy to tell if there is something on the TV remote that is sticky or wet, however, it's what you don’t see that may cause illness.  Make it a routine to keep those remotes clean.  An antibacterial wipe works well, they are not so wet that they will damage the remote, but the solution they were soaked in should kill off the majority of bacteria.  Another suggestion with the remote is using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol that allows you to get in and around the buttons.

Light Switches and Controls

The lights are flipped on and off constantly in a twenty-four hour period, and whatever is on the hands of the person flipping that switch, is now on the switch itself, and the potentially the plate surrounding it.  Wiping down the switch and switch plate when cleaning is very quick, and may stop the spread of harmful bacteria.  Seriously, as busy people, it's safe to assume we don’t often clean and sanitize light switches, even though they are handled by multiple fingers during the day.

Straps & Lanyards

When you pick up your handbag, tote bag, or briefcase, it's like you are wiping your hands on the straps or handles.  You’ve probably heard to never place your handbag on the floor of a public restroom, and that is certainly good advice.   The straps, however, are touched and handled by you on and off all day; just think how dirty they can get.  Follow manufacturer guidelines on what is safe to use in order to ensure your straps and handles that are being held by your hands, are clean and sanitized.  Also, don't forget the lanyards that hold name badges, you may find soaking them in a vinegar/water solution and letting them air dry will work great, and even brighten them up.  


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