Are your hands totally germ free?

You can never be sure if your hands are carrying germs or not. Take the guesswork out of the equation and be germ-free by using a hand sanitizer.

The human hands are carriers of many germs, and they are inadvertently passed from one person to another. Keeping them germ-free at all times is not as tough as you think – simply use an antibacterial hand sanitizer that kills up to 99.9% germs on your hands.

When should you use hand sanitizer?

After eating. Whether you eat using your hands or using spoons and forks, you must get rid of germs you may have picked up. Germs can lurk on unclean spoons and plates, and they may also be ingested. After you have had your meal, err on the side of caution and clean your hands with antibacterial hand sanitizer. This is helpful for those at work and school.

After visiting the restroom. You would think people who visited the restroom would wash their hands with soap, but you would think wrong! Most people just rinse their hands with plain water. This is risky behaviour, especially at the workplace, where germs may spread rapidly from one person to another. But you can be responsible – use antibacterial hand sanitizer after visiting the restroom, especially if you are not certain that the soap provided by the office is an antibacterial one.

Before handling a baby. Babies are delicate and easily prone to infections. You cannot touch your baby with germs lurking on your hands. But keeping a baby unattended while you nip to the bathroom to wash your hands with soap is also not an option. Take the easier route out – keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in the baby’s wardrobe or near the diaper changing station. That way, you can quickly clean your hands prior to changing your baby or picking them up. It is a good idea to use sanitizer afterward, too.

After cleaning a pet’s bowls and litter box. Your pets are precious, but they also trail a lot of infectious germs and mud all over the house. They pass germs on to you and your family members. Often, the pet’s feeding bowls and trays can get neglected – merely giving them a rinse with water will not clean them completely. Add disinfecting liquid to the detergent when washing their plates, bowls and trays, or use a kitchen disinfectant spray. Clean out the litter box diligently and spray it liberally with air disinfectant so as to kill all germs.

After reaching work. Your car harbours many germs that you are unaware of. The steering wheel, car phone, entertainment system buttons and the door handle are all hotbeds of germs. Once you park your car and reach your desk, just reach out for hand sanitizer and clean your hands before you touch other surfaces. 

Face flu season with confidence

Good personal hygiene and maintaining cleanliness in your work space can go a long way in preventing flu.

Flu season is awful! Apart from a temperature, you suffer from a runny nose, headaches and nausea. But if you think getting flu is inevitable, think again. Preventing flu may be easier than you think!

Consider the following tips that show how to prevent the flu:

* Get a flu vaccine. Ask your doctor about taking an annual flu vaccine, making special mention of any other medication you may be on. During flu season, doctors recommend a preventive dose of antiviral medication such as Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) and/or Relenza (Zanamivir).

* Wash your hands frequently. The easiest route for the flu virus to reach you is through your hands. You are less likely to contract the virus by inhaling its germs directly through the air. In fact, the germs are more likely to implant on your hands after you touch surfaces contaminated by them. Once they are on the hands, they enter the system when you accidentally touch your eyes or nose. So if you want to know how to prevent the flu, start by washing your hands every hour with antibacterial soap.

* Keep a hand sanitiser in your bag. You may not always have access to soap and water, especially when you are out of doors or on a commute to work. No matter – let a hand sanitiser ‘wash’ your hands for you. Just take some sanitiser on your hands and rub them together till the liquid is completely absorbed. It kills the harmful germs lurking on the skin, and you can use it after you have inadvertently shaken somebody’s hand, or turned a door handle or even handled a common telephone receiver at work.

* Keep the house and work spaces clean. It is a myth that contaminated surfaces are only found in the workplace. They are found even in homes that are less than careful about hygiene, especially during flu season. Flu germs can easily be transmitted from hands to surfaces. They can affect you and your loved ones, especially if the person handling the food and cooking duties has them. The best way to ensure that the home is free of flu germs is to use an air disinfectant spray. Spray it on the surfaces of contamination and let it dry.

* Eat healthy, light food. Lowered immunity can invite flu germs into the system. It is up to you to build your family’s immunity during this trying time. Prepare hot, nutritious meals that are easy to digest. Include a lot of fruit and vegetables in the daily diet, preferably in raw or pureed form. It is also important to rest adequately and take light exercise to build resistance to disease.