So what is the most germ-ridden room in your house?
It’s
not the bathroom–it’s the kitchen. In fact, there could be up to 200 times more fecal bacteria on your kitchen cutting board than on your toilet seat. This is likely because people regularly disinfect their bathroom while kitchen items may be overlooked.”
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “germs in the home can show up where you least expect them, even if you diligently try to keep your home clean. Despite good efforts by most to keep their homes germ free, over 65 percent of colds, 50 percent of all cases of diarrhea and 50 percent to 80 percent of food-borne illnesses are caught in the home, and common household items are often to blame.
And Miranda Hitti from WebMD Health News shares that there are “More Bacteria in the Bathtub Than in the Garbage Bin!”
Bottom line: New research shows…Your home may be germier than you think!
Out of 32 places in the home, the top spots for bacteria are the toilet bowl, kitchen drain, kitchen sponge or counter-wiping cloth, bathtub, and kitchen sink., according to a new study.
The study and survey come from the Hygiene Council — which is funded by Reckitt Benckiser, the company that makes Lysol.
Researchers visited 35 U.S. homes, swabbing for bacteria in 32 locations in each home.
Here’s how those spots ranked, in terms of the average number of bacteria per square inch. Spots with the same average number of bacteria have the same rank.
- Toilet bowl: 3.2 million bacteria/square inch
Kitchen drain: 567,845 bacteria/square inch
Sponge or counter-wiping cloth: 134,630 bacteria/square inch
Bathtub, near drain: 119,468 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen sink, near drain: 17,964 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen faucet handle: 13,227 bacteria/square inch
Bathroom faucet handle: 6,267 bacteria/square inch
Bathroom sink, near drain: 2,733 bacteria/square inch
Pet food dish, inside rim: 2,110 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen floor, in front of sink: 830 bacteria/square inch
Toilet floor, in front of toilet: 764 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen countertop: 488 bacteria/square inch
Bathroom countertop: 452 bacteria/square inch
Garbage bin: 411 bacteria/square inch
Dish towel: 408 bacteria/square inch
Toy: 345 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen tabletop: 344 bacteria/square inch
Home office phone or refrigerator door: 319 bacteria/square inch
Toilet seat: 295 bacteria/square inch
Bathroom light switch: 217 bacteria/square inch
Microwave buttons: 214 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen chopping board: 194 bacteria/square inch
Child-training potty: 191 bacteria/square inch
Infant changing mat and infant high chair: 190 bacteria/square inch
Kitchen phone: 133 bacteria/square inch
Bathroom door’s inside handle: 121 bacteria/square inch
Toilet’s flush handle: 83 bacteria/square inch
TV remote control: 70 bacteria/square inch
Home office computer keyboard: 64 bacteria/square inch
Home office computer mouse: 50 bacteria/square inch
And if that isn’t bad enough, another study by the National Institue for Health showed that Bacteria in Household Dust Triggers Asthma Symptoms.
New research shows that bacteria lurking in household dust produce chemicals that may trigger asthma and asthma-related symptoms such as wheezing. These bacterial chemicals, called endotoxins, particularly those found on bedroom floors, were linked with increased respiratory problems in adults.
Researchers at NIEHS and the University of Iowa found a strong association between endotoxin levels and the prevalence of diagnosed asthma, asthma symptoms, asthma medication use, and wheezing. These relationships were strongest for bedroom floor and bedding dust.
“Interestingly, endotoxin exposure worsens asthma symptoms in adults, regardless of whether an individual has allergies or not,” said Peter S. Thorne, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Iowa and lead author on the paper. “This suggests that exposure to endotoxin increases asthma risk even in non-allergic individuals.”
So what is a homeowner to do to try to protect the family from all of these dangerous microorganisms?
The best solution is to take a different approach to managing the environment inside your home!
And the Healthier Environment Living Program™ is just what you need!
It makes complete sense to take a “holistic approach” to determine what kind of germs, bacteria, viruses and microorganisms are present in your home before determining what type of actions are needed to keep your home as germ and bacteria free as possible.
And your local IASQ™ Indoor Air and Surface Quality Certified Inspector Professional will do just that! Yes, that would be us, your Atlanta Home Inspector, David Lelak, is now a provider!
Before any “solutions” are recommended, surface sampling will be conducted in order to determine what type of issues that you face in your home or business.
You see, protecting your business from dangerous bacteria, mold and mildew is easier than ever with XMICROBE™ unique antimicrobial technology.
The XMICROBE™ Technology offers an antimicrobial protection that works every minute of every day with just one simple application and it’s affordable and long-lasting.
XMICROBE™ Technology creates a durable bond to the surfaces of your business preventing further growth, spreading of bacteria and cross-contamination.
Over 25 years of research and development went in to the creation of the XMICROBE™ Technology that is used in the Healthier Environment Living Program™.
Protect your family and ease your mind as XMICROBE™ Technology works 24/7 to control Microbial growth.
Call the Atlanta Home Inspector today at 404-788-2581 to find out more information on how to protect you and your family with the Healthier Environment Living Program™.