How To Be a Germophobe

I just received this handy, stylish Clipa Instant Handbag Hanger a couple days ago. I have been using it and I have to say “I love it!” I went to a dinner for new Toyota owners (we recently purchased a Camry Hybrid) and I hung my purse on the table instead of putting it on the floor.

I went to my son’s soccer game last night and hung my purse on the back of my chair instead of setting it on the ground. I have also hung it in my car so it’s not rolling around all over the floor getting dirty (as pictured).

I have been in public bathrooms that didn’t have any hooks on the doors or they were missing or broken. I absolutely will not put my purse on a bathroom floor. That’s just disgusting! My purse has a long strap, so in these situations, I hang it around my neck so it dangles in front of me. It’s somewhat awkward but at least it’s off the floor. This Clipa Handbag Hanger resolves that problem.

The possible uses are endless! It hangs on grocery carts, fences, table edges, theater seats, etc. It’s stylish enough to wear as a bracelet! It’s a very attractive addition to your purse at a very reasonable cost.

Your Purse Could Be Making You Sick:

According to ABC News, a microbiologist found millions of germs on purses. ”‘We found fecal bacteria you normally find on the floor of restrooms,’ he said. ‘We found bacteria that can cause skin infections on the bottom of purses. What’s more amazing is the large numbers we find on the bottom of purses, which indicates that they can be picking up a lot of other germs like cold viruses or viruses that cause diarrhea.’

Using a hand-held germ meter, Gerba demonstrated how much bacteria can grow on a woman’s purse for ABC News, with results that ranged from scary to downright terrifying. Health experts worry when the meter reads over 200, which means thousands of bacteria are present.”

This article makes me want to sanitize my purse right now. I try to stick with purses that I can throw in the washing machine periodically. If it’s not washable, it would be a good idea to wipe it with a sanitizing wipe at least once a week. I tend to put my purse on the kitchen table. If it’s covered in germs, I’ve just put them on an eating surface. Gross!! Now that I have a Clipa, my purse should stay cleaner.

I am finishing up an ebook titled “The Fear, The Fight & The Cure, My Battle With MRSA” which will soon be available for purchase. In this ebook, I tell my story about my family’s ordeal fighting this bacteria. This includes everything we did and everything we used to ultimately find a cure. I would love to add your stories as well! Please leave a comment telling your story.

Is antibacterial soap better than regular soap? According to the FDA, it is no better. All of the antibacterial products on the market today are creating more superbugs. I have personally dealt with the superbug MRSA and it terrifies me. I mostly use regular, liquid soap. I do occasionally buy antibacterial soap because it does give me an extra sense of security but I have not had any problems using regular soap. As long as you wash your hands thoroughly for as long as it takes to sing the alphabet song in your head, you should be fine. I do not use bar soap because it can harbor bacteria, although it is better than nothing.

No self-respecting germaphobe like me goes anywhere without hand sanitizer or antibacterial hand wipes. I carry both. Hand sanitizer is good but there are some messes that just need to be wiped off. The bottom line? Be careful, stay clean and avoid touching things as much as you possibly can.

I’m embarrassed to admit this as a germaphobe, but this is a picture of the scrubber that I’ve been using to clean off my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. It is badly in need of replacing but I just keep forgetting to get one when I’m at the store. Maybe now that I’m embarrasing myself, I’ll actually remember. I’m not that worried about it because the dishwasher sanitizes everything anyway. I don’t use the nasty thing for any other purpose.

For dishes that have to be washed by hand or don’t fit in the dishwasher, my personal preference is a plain old dishrag because they are easily sanitized in the washing machine. I get a new one out every day and never leave it wadded up and wet. I also use a dishrag to wipe the table and counters. It’s more sanitary than using a sponge. I use some type of sanitizing wipe to clean up after things like raw meat.

I have never cared for dishwands because I find them awkward to use and they tend to leak all over. It’s a matter of personal preference though. It does have a sponge on the end but because it is always full of soap, it would seem to be safe. As a precaution, I would recommend removing the sponge, rinsing as much soap out as possible and putting it in the microwave (wet) for about 1  minute. The heat will kill any bacteria that might be lurking in the sponge. Be careful removing it from the microwave. It will be hot!!

Sponges are okay, like my nasty scrubber above for rinsing dishes off to put in the dishwasher. I do not recommend using them to wipe any surfaces. If you absolutely prefer to use a sponge, sanitize it by putting it in the microwave (wet) for 1  minute to kill any germs growing in it. Be careful taking it out as it will be very hot! It can also be sanitized in the dishwasher but it grosses me out to have it next to the dishes (even if it is sanitized).

Until recently, I thought hot tubs were relatively safe because they are chlorinated like pools. Apparently not. If not properly maintained they can contain a bacteria called pseudomonas aeruginosa that infects the hair follicles. This infection is more commonly known as “hot tub folliculitis.” To my relief, it is not spread by personal contact.

STUDY: Nearly half of soda fountains contaminated with fecal matter
By Dr. Kim Mulvihill
SAN FRANCISCO — Many of us have filled up our cups at the local gas station. But those self-serve soda fountains may be serving up a lot of bacteria.

Researchers from Hollins University in Virginia tested more than 100 beverages from self-serve and staff-serve dispensers. What they found coming out of these machines is pretty unappetizing.

“We obtained soda fountain beverages from a wide variety of fast food establishments and found that a significant number of the drinks had levels of bacteria, including coliforms, which would not be allowed in municipal drinking water,” said Dr. Renee Godard, professor of biology and director of environmental studies at Hollins, and a co-author of the study. “To our knowledge, no one has looked at bacterial contamination from soda fountain machines before, and our results may have public health implications. They signal the need for regulations that enforce the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning regimens for these beverage dispensers.”

They found 48 percent of the beverages contained fecal matter.

More than 11 percent were contaminated with E. coli and 17 percent were tainted with a bacteria known to cause meningitis.

Most of the bacteria showed resistance to one or more of the 11 antibiotics tested.

In these drinks, they also found smaller amounts of other kinds of germs including staphylococcus, klebsiella and candida.