Door handles are the most common harbourers of germs both in the home and outside. Whilst kitchen worktops, sinks and ovens are cleaned on a regular basis, many people neglect their door handles, even though they are a hotspot for bacteria. Touch points within the home should be cleaned frequently as a large family, or individual alike, can deposit a large amount of harmful germs there.
Washing hands before cooking, eating and after visiting the toilet is an essential activity that should be instilled into a child’s behaviour pattern very early on to ensure a safe and healthy lifestyle. The same goes for adults, however there are many that do not follow this simple rule.
Door handles from public toilets are the worst places to pick up infections due to the amount of people that visit them every day. This can cause a whole range of harmful bacteria to be placed upon the handles, which are then touched by, almost, everybody who goes there. It is also worth mentioning that not everyone cleans their hands after using a toilet, so extra care should always be taken when in public places.
There are numerous infections that can be passed on through touching dirty door handles; E.coli, Aureas and Staphylococcus, fungal and viral infections are just some of the examples. The first defence against these types of viruses is to wash your hands. However, it doesn’t matter how careful you are, there is no guarantee that the person who visited the place beforehand went to the same trouble as yourself. Even if you ensure that you wash your hands before leaving, you will still need to touch the handle that could have been touched previously by someone who may have just blown their nose, leaving a nasty virus for you to pick up.
Carrying a small pack of antiseptic wipes or sterilising hand gel will definitely help to prevent this type of germ transfer. These can be of particular good use when in situations where there is nowhere to wash your hands and can also be used on any other touch point you need it to, for example, telephones, keyboards and vending machines.
It’s not just employees and cleaners that need to make sure the handles are cleaned regularly, homeowners and tenants also need to take extra precaution to prevent germs being spread amongst those who are staying within this area. Using sanitising wipes on a daily basis to thoroughly clean door handles around the home is extremely advisable.