Look along the shelves of cleaning products in any supermarket and you will be faced with a vast array of options. Specialised cleaning liquids, gels and sprays come in all sorts of permutations designed for every room in the house, to enable us to keep our homes spotlessly clean and sparkling.
The problem with germs is we can’t see them. A surface may look spotlessly clean, but scientific analysis would shine a spotlight on the microorganisms that can cause us so much harm. Coughs, colds and upset tummies are just some of the problems we can contract from coming into contact with these hidden nasties.
The problem is compounded where a household includes someone with a compromised immune system, such as someone suffering from an immune disorder, pregnant women, children and the elderly. Anyone in these vulnerable groups could develop catastrophic health problems as a result of coming into contact with dangerous bacteria.
Where there are pets in the household, there is an increased risk of harmful bacteria. Dogs and cats with access to the garden and the great outdoors don’t watch where they are putting their paws and certainly don’t wipe their feet on the mat when they come inside. Germs are trodden into the floors and carpets where they lie in wait for contact with human skin. Equally, the soles of our shoes may look perfectly clean, but since microorganisms are undetectable to the naked eye, there is no way of knowing just what you might be treading into your home.
Bacteria and germs can lurk in the most surprising places and not necessarily the ones you might assume. Most people would say that their toilets are the likeliest breeding grounds for germs, but in fact your kitchen sink and even your dishcloth can harbour more germs and cause more risk of food poisoning. Food debris provides a haven for germs that thrive in the moist areas around your sink waiting to wreak havoc on our systems.
Research carried out by a scientific laboratory on behalf of www.zoflora.co.uk reveals that there is 1,500 times more faecal matter on a child’s high chair than on the same child’s potty, which is a thoroughly alarming fact. Surprisingly, computer keyboards and television remote controls are also top hotspots in the home for finding unpleasant and harmful germs. Even the humble salt and pepper shaker can harbour frightening amounts of microorganisms, making them prime targets for cold viruses, for example.
Fortunately we are not all doomed to suffer endless upset tummies and coughs and colds. Germs, bacteria and microorganisms can all be completely obliterated with the help of antibacterial products designed to eradicate them. One wipe with a cloth soaked in disinfectant is all it takes to rid your surfaces of unpleasant germs, leaving you free to relax and enjoy your house, children and pets with complete confidence.
