It’s time to come clean on home hygiene
(NC) —A recent global study reveals that Canadians rank among the top when it comes to practicing good hygiene habits at home. However, it wasn’t a clean sweep as the study indicated Canadians must better disinfect germ hotspots if they want to stop the spread of bacteria and mould in their homes. At the end of the day, it’s not necessarily how frequently cleaning takes place that matters, but disinfecting the right areas.
The Hygiene Council’s 2010 Hygiene Home Truths Study sponsored by Lysol was carried out in nine countries and assessed the level of bacteria and mould contamination at various sites in family homes. Bathroom seals (where the wall and floor meet), inside fridges and the general kitchen towel were some of the most highly contaminated areas in homes because they aren’t being cleaned effectively.
“Study results show that worldwide we still have a long way to go in terms of reducing germs in our homes,” says Professor John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council and Professor of Virology at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, England. “Believe it or not, the study revealed Canadians had more mould inside their fridges than in their bathrooms. Regular hand washing and targeted disinfection are the first defense against spreading germs and infectious diseases.”
The study points out that Canadians seem to be regularly washing their hands and using antibacterial cleaners, which is good news and could be why Canada was one country with the least contaminated samples. However, Canadians need to pay more attention to disinfecting particular germ hotspots, such as inside the fridge, the general kitchen towel and bathroom seals.
Visit www.hygienecouncil.com for more information and recommendations on improving hygiene levels in the home and community.
The Hygiene Council’s 2010 Hygiene Home Truths Study sponsored by Lysol found that:
• Canadians had more mould inside their fridges than in their bathrooms.
• General kitchen towels were the dirtiest items in Canadian households.
• Bathroom seals were Canada’s second most contaminated site with evidence of bacteria and mould.
www.newscanada.com
