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Common Myths about Fighting Germs and Bacteria

The things you are doing to protect yourself from germs, could actually be making things worse.


Fighting Germs and Bacteria Isn’t as Simple as you May Think


Common food myths, we’ve all heard them. “The five-second rule”, ice cubes are safe from bacteria, hand sanitizers kill germs, etc. The question is, are any of these true? Well, let’s see.


Washing Hands vs. Hand Sanitizer

One tip that remains true is that washing your hands regularly is the best way fight bacteria. You should wash your hands when you are touching many different surfaces as well as before and after handling any type of food. It should be noted that washing your hands is referring to using soap and water. Not hand sanitizer.


It is commonly believed that hand sanitizer can act as a substitute for actually washing your hands from time to time. This is not true. Hand sanitizers that claim to kill 99% of germs and bacteria still leave behind thousands of bacteria. Thousands for every square inch of your hand, to be specific. Not to mention that this will not protect against dangerous bacteria like E. coli or salmonella.


Air Hand Dryers vs. Paper Towels

When washing your hands, many believe that the air hand dryers are safer. In reality, not even these are safe. Studies show that these automatic hand dryers can spread the bacteria found in restrooms by blowing it around the room. They actually increase the amount of bacteria found on your hands by 42% compared to using paper towels.


The 5-Second Rule

“The five-second rule” is another popular myth. When you drop a piece of food on the floor, it’s still safe to eat as long as you pick it up within five seconds. At least this is what the myth says. Germs couldn’t possibly have enough time to jump off of a surface and onto a piece of food in five seconds, right? Well, sadly, this assumption couldn’t be more wrong. Within five seconds it is possible for 10,000 to 10,000,000 bacteria to jump from one surface to the next. This is according to a study done at Clemson University.


With all of these myths being blown out of the water, it makes you think. Is there anything we can have that doesn’t spread bacteria? If you want the short answer, it’s no. Even when eating at restaurants that have aced their health inspection you could be at risk. Salmonella and E. coli can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic restaurant menus. There is simply no escaping bacteria and germs, but there is some good news. Not all bacteria is bad for the body. Some are harmless and some are actually good for you. Most illnesses actually come from food being prepared wrong, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).The best advice: wash your hands regularly, prepare your food according to instructions and try not to think about the trillions of bacteria surrounding you at any given moment.



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