Toothbrush and towels cause microbes spread
Baku, December 7 (AZERTAC). Most of us never give a second thought to how long we`ve had that old chopping board — or those pillows, even that hairbrush, according to Daily Mail.
But while they may all look clean and serviceable enough, these seemingly innocent household items can actually harbour potentially harmful bacteria if used too long, regardless of how often they`re cleaned.
Here, with the help of scientific experts, we examine how often you should spring clean those everyday household items — and when it`s time to simply throw them in the bin . . .
Woodis more porous than plastic or metal, making it more susceptible to carrying germs and bacteria, explains John Oxford, Professor of Virology at Barts and the London Hospital. The bacteria particularly prevalent in the kitchen is E. coli, usually from raw meat or children with poor hygiene habits. This can lead to severe food poisoning.
Research suggests that a range of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, arthritis and chronic infections could be linked to `unhygienic` toothbrushes.
A study by Manchester University found that the average toothbrush contained about ten million germs, including a high percentage of potentially fatal bacteria such as staphylococci, streptococcus, E. coli and candida.
These need to be washed once a week at 90c or more to wipe out, staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can be transferred from your skin to the towel. Normally benign, it can cause infection if it comes into contact with a wound — and it can also live on dry surfaces.
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