Germ alert: Beware the dirty dozen icky places

By Media General News Service
Published: May 23, 2008

Where are the grimiest places in the world?
Forbes recently named Baku, Azerbaijan, the planet’s dirtiest city. But in a recent issue of Health magazine, Charles Gerba, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona, and a panel of experts found some nasty spots that hit a little closer to home.
The researcher nicknamed “Dr. Germ” came up with the following “dirty dozen”:
Kitchen sink: Typical drains contain 500,000 bacteria per square inch. Scrub frequently.
Airplane bathrooms: The mile-high bacteria club.
Load of wet laundry: Think what goes into the washer. Now think about washing underwear separately. Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don’t spread.
Public drinking fountain: From 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch.
Shopping cart handles: Saliva, bacteria and more. Wipe them down.
ATM, vending-machine and elevator buttons: Use your credit card, car key, an elbow — just don’t touch. If you do, use antibacterial hand cleaner afterward.
Handbags: A fashionable petri dish. Never sit them on a floor.
Playgrounds: Children present.
Mats and machines at health clubs: Wipe them down.
Bathtub: Typically more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch. Scrub after each use.
Office phones: Wipe them down.
Hotel room remote: Again, use antibacterial wipes.