by Sherry H. Bowen

Created on: August 27, 2009   Last Updated: August 13, 2010

Top public places where people come into contact with germs

Just because something looks clean doesn’t mean that it is. Germs are everywhere. Did you know that germs are able to survive on surfaces anywhere from just a few hours to a few weeks? And, Americans touch 300 different surfaces every 30 minutes. The University of Arizona, Mercola, and MSNBC are only a few places that have conducted studies on the top public places where people come in contact with germs. Do you want to know what to avoid?

Children’s Playgrounds

You'd think that a child's playground would not be to bad when it came to germ congregations but 44% of playground surfaces tested positive for bodily fluids. That includes blood, urine, mucus, and saliva. When you stop to think about it, it's logical. After all, they're children. When children play at the playgrounds, remember to bring hand sanitizer and remind the children to keep their hands out of their mouths as they play.

Desktops and Keyboards

Do you let others use your keyboard? Did you cubicle neighbor sneeze all day? Then your desktop and keyboard have just become germ magnets. Make sure to use spray disinfectant on both of these items often. Don't forget to let the spray air dry.

Buttons

No, not the buttons on your clothes, but the buttons on elevators, ATMs, telephones, and vending machines. These objects are usually located in places that are rarely cleaned and disinfected. The elevator buttons for the 1st floor and ground have the most germs because everyone needs to get there. The buttons on the ATM and phones are constantly pushed by different people. How do you stay away from these germs? Use your knuckle or get someone else to push the buttons. Because of the germs associated with public transportation, elevator buttons, and other public areas, use a wet wipe to quickly clean the areas you need to use.

Public Bathrooms

You guessed it – public bathrooms are one of the nastiest places for germs to gather. But what you didn’t know was that the flush handles and other parts of the bathroom are worse than the toilet seats.  Women’s restrooms are more contaminated than men’s bathrooms and the middle stall is always the worst one in the whole bathroom. But when you compare airplane bathrooms to general public bathrooms  - the airplane bathrooms are much, much worse.

Public Magazines

You know those magazines that lay out on the tables in doctor’s offices? Those magazines are

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