The top 5 germ hotspots you wouldn’t even think of

Everyone knows that there’s germs on toilet seats, taps, door handles, the train and bus or an ATM but did you realise those don’t even come close to being the biggest germ hot spots?

There are a number of places that are breeding grounds for germs that you may not have even realised – we often touch them without thinking they’re ridden with bacteria.

Here’s the top 5 you need to be careful of, especially as the season’s are changing.

1. Swimming pools 

As it gets hotter, it can be tempting to go to the local swimming pool for a dip, however according to Michele Hlavsa, RN, chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program, a water park can have 10kg of faeces floating around. And chlorine doesn’t kill everything. You can protect yourself and the grandkids by making sure no water is swallowed.

2. Shopping trolley

We go shopping all the time but have you ever stopped and considered how dirty the shopping trolley is? The handle alone could hold up to 11 million microorganisms, including ones from raw meat. A lot of supermarkets have antibacterial wipes handy, so give your shopping trolley a wipe before you take hold.

3. Hotel room TV remote 

When you enter a hotel room, you’d like to think everything is clean and pristine, however that couldn’t be further from the truth. One of the dirtiest objects in the room is the TV remote and could use a quick wipe!

4. Money

A lot of people avoid touching ATM buttons without sanitising their hands afterwards, however it’s the cash we should be worried about when it comes to germs. According to WebMD, the flu virus can live on a note for 17 days.

5. Restaurant menus

Did you know the average restaurant menu has 100 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, according to Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiologist with the University of Arizona, better known as Dr. Germ? They’re touched by so many people but only wiped down once a day, if that. Just be sure to wash your hands before you eat!

Tell us, were any of these a surprise? Are you a germaphobe or are you unconcerned?