You can give yourself a good chance to stay healthy this winter by thoroughly washing your hands and attacking germs where they hide.
In the kitchen: Sink handles, sinks, and counters are the biggest offenders. Clean sinks, sink drains, and counters with antibacterial soap at least once a day. Wash your sponge in the dishwasher to kill germs.
Fresh vegetables and fruits: They may carry salmonella, campylobacter, or E. coli, say microbiologists at New York University. Rinse them thoroughly.
In the laundry: Add bleach to a load of white clothes that includes underwear. It kills virtually all of the germs on underwear so they don't spread. Move the load immediately to the dryer and dry at a high temperature.
In the bathroom: Use a disinfecting cleaner on the bathtub weekly. If someone with a skin infection uses the tub, wash it with bleach right away so you don't pick up the germs.
Shared devices: Use antibacterial cleaner frequently on telephones, TV remotes, door handles, and shared keyboards, especially if someone in the household has an illness.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
