| When I become a first time mother I swore I would | | | | found out some facts that were even MORE |
| do everything in my power to fight germs and keep | | | | disturbing. A kitchen sponge contains the largest |
| my son healthy. I sterilized his bottles, if his pacifier | | | | amount of bacteria per square inch than anything else |
| fell on the floor I would rinse it off in hot water, and | | | | in the household according to a study performed by |
| I made people use antibacterial hand gel before they | | | | the University of Arizona in 2002. And I actually wipe |
| were allowed to hold him for the first few weeks. | | | | my children's FACES with our kitchen washcloth. Not |
| Well 2 kids and 5 years later things have changed | | | | any more I tell you! |
| just a bit. Bottles are lucky to get rinsed in hot water | | | | According to this same study, public restrooms are |
| let alone sterilized, binkies get brushed off on my | | | | one of the germiest places around. Researchers |
| shirt when they fall on the floor, and it's a miracle if I | | | | found that 64 percent of the time, the floor in front |
| remember to get my own children to wash their | | | | of the toilet was contaminated with fecal bacteria |
| hands before dinner. I must admit I have become a | | | | (gross!), while 61 percent of the time for sinks, 20 |
| bit of a failure, and an experience the other day | | | | percent of the time for the top of the toilet, 15 |
| caused me to wake up a little bit. | | | | percent for the sink faucet, and 6 percent of the |
| My children were sitting in their car seats after | | | | time for the toilet handle. Needless to say, when we |
| playing outside at the playground. I heard my older | | | | use public restrooms now my kids get a double-dose |
| son saying "Lexi try this it's really good!" I glanced in | | | | of water and soap hand washing and antibacterial |
| my rear view mirror to see my two scamps back | | | | hand gel or spray. |
| their LICKING the bottoms of their shoes. GROSS! | | | | I've also heard reports that play places, playground |
| For some reason that seemed to be so much more | | | | equipment, AND shopping cart handles all have been |
| disturbing than just picking the pacifier up off the | | | | shown to have high amounts of bacteria including |
| ground or letting them lick the shopping cart handle. | | | | mucus, fecal matter, and more. It's time to become |
| I decided I better become a bit more vigilant in my | | | | more vigilant and take strong precautionary |
| quest to fight germs so I did a bit of research and | | | | measures. |