The Most Unsanitary Things You Do Every Day Without Realizing

Shaking Hands!

Image Source: Reddit

Ok, Ok, this one might be seen as super rude, but if you are sick do not hesitate to refuse to shake someone's hand! Hands are one of the places on the body that are most exposed to germs! If you are not the one who's sick, make sure you're carrying tissues or wash your hands after shaking hands, especially with someone who's sick!

Blowing Out Candles!

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Birthday cakes are one of the best things ever, but surely there's a more hygienic way of putting out the candles, right? By blowing them out, there are tiny particles of spit that come out of your mouth and land all over the cake! I'll be passing on the next offer of birthday cake thank you!

Showering...

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Hear me out on this one... Showering itself is not unsanitary, please keep showering! BUT, if you are using old and unwashed loofahs or sponges please replace or wash them! Loofahs and sponges are literally designed to soak up bacteria... so by using old ones you are literally bathing in old bacteria... gross!

Using Your Phone!

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As mentioned before hands are a hotspot for bacteria, and what do you touch with your hands the most... your phone! Studies have shown that on average there are more bacteria particles on somebody's phone than there are on their toilet seat! Please think about cleaning your phone and hands!

Wearing Perfume!

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Now this one is not for all perfumes, but by the end of it, you'll definitely want to check the label on the one you use! Lots of perfumes have something in the ingredients called ambergris, which makes the smell last longer, great right? Well, no... ambergris is a fancy name for sperm whale vomit...

Brushing Your Teeth...

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No! Your dentists aren't wrong, brushing your teeth is hygienic, but where do you keep your toothbrush? Is it next to the sink or toilet where small droplets of water can splash from someone flushing the toilet, a man having a wee whilst standing up, or from someone washing their hands? Try to keep it far away or in a cabinet to stop this!

Shopping!

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Everyone needs to shop, right? Well, next time you're doing your weekly supermarket trip think about how many people have used the shopping trolley that you are using... The supermarkets often don't clean the trolleys either! I might start getting my groceries delivered...

Pumping Gas!

Image Source: Reddit

Here's another one you might not have thought about! How many people have used the handle to pump gas that you pick up, and how often has it been cleaned? Probably not loads right? It might be worth keeping some sanitizer in your car, or on your person at all times once you've finished reading this article!

Breathing!

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This one I must admit can't really be helped. I bet you've never thought about it, but a recent study shows that on average, most people inhale at least one liter of other people's bodily gasses a day! Yep, bodily gasses mean what you think they mean... disgusting!

Sharing Headphones

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Ears are pretty gross... and unfortunately, if you clean your ears regularly, you are in the minority. The chances have it that if you share your headphones with someone they haven't cleaned their ears in a good while, maybe it's worth thinking about who and if you need to share your headphones with anyone!

Eating...

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Yes, food is delicious, I agree, but how many people (even though we know we should) wash their hands before they eat? Especially food like pizza, burgers, and all the good stuff you eat with your hands. Next time, pause and think, where have my hands been since I last washed them?

Using Money!

Image Source: Reddit

This is one that's less common now with contactless payments, but still very relevant. Did you know that the cash you use would likely never have been sanitized, and has likely been in possibly hundreds of other people's hands, wallets, and anywhere else cash can end up...

Doing Makeup...

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You may not realize it but doing your makeup could even be unsanitary! Makeup brushes pick up so many things such as old makeup, bacteria from your skin, and bacteria from the environment where you keep it! Make sure you are cleaning your makeup brushes regularly with baby shampoo!

Watching T.V.!

Image Source: Reddit

Ok, actually watching T.V. isn't unsanitary, but what about the remote you use? How many people have used it? What have those people been touching? Where is it kept - in between gross sofa cushions? All very important things to ask regularly! Make sure you are regularly giving it a wipe with anti-bacterial wipes!

Going In A Hot Tub

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Yes, as soothing as hot tubs are, they are a breeding ground for bacteria! The wet, warm environment means that it is the perfect place for bacteria to live, as well as anyone and everyone can go in with bacteria already... Make sure after you have been in one you shower properly, please!!

Sleeping...

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Again, the act of sleeping is obviously not unhygienic, but sleeping in bed sheets that have not been changed regularly, and especially if you eat in bed, can be very unsanitary, even if you don't share your bed with anyone! The recommended frequency to change bed sheets is every two weeks!

Working In The Office!

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So many people don't realize that working in the office, and using office mugs, cups, plates, and kitchen things can be super unhygienic! Can you guarantee that your co-workers clean up properly after themselves? I would definitely recommend taking your own kitchenware to work!

Having Pets!

Image Source: buzzfeed

Yes, I know, we all love those little guys that think they are human and are as much a part of the family as anyone, but, they can be extremely unsanitary. Especially cats and dogs, their paws step in things that are not hygienic at all and then they walk all over our living space!

Using The ATM!

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This one may be becoming less and less of a problem as cash makes its way out of society, but ATMs are gross! When you think about how many people have touched them, where those people have been and touched, it's kind of gross right? Again, we just recommend keeping sanitizer handy always!

Catching The Subway!

Image Source: Reddit

This one is um... maybe not so much of a shock and might not apply to many people if they aren't in NYC! But if you are based in the big apple and catch the subway frequently please think about what you touch, who else has touched it, and where that person may have been!

Cleaning Dishes...

Image Source: Reddit

Another one that might make you think, no way! But, actually, if you are using old, unwashed sponges or cloths to clean and dry your dishes it can be super unhygienic! The way to get around this is to replace your sponges and cloths frequently and wash them properly with bleach!

Washing Your Hands...

Image Source: Reddit

Yep, that's right! Many things about washing your hands can be super unsanitary, especially washing them in public! The public soap dispensers are often crawling with bacteria! As well as this drying your hands in public could be unsanitary! Many studies show that using air-blowing hand dryers makes your hands more full of bacteria than before you washed them!

Computer Keyboards!

Image Source: Reddit

Here's a question, when was the last time you cleaned the keyboard for your computer at work or at home? Think of how many times it's been used with greasy fingers, when someone's had a cold, and whatever else! Why don't you shut your computer down and give the keyboard the TLC it deserves!

Swimming!

Image Source: Reddit

I'm going to assume you don't have your own pool, but even if you do this one applies to you! Swimming pools are a hotspot for bacteria! Think of all the kids who have pee'd in there or even worse... A 2016 report has said that 80% of inspections of public swimming pools end in them being shut down because of health violations... disgusting!

Doing The Laundry...

Image Source: Reddit

Doing a quick spin is not enough to clean the real gross bacteria from your clothes!! When it comes to cleaning things like underwear, make sure you are washing your clothes at a high temperature, and letting them dry properly! Nasty viruses, including rotavirus, can withstand a quick spin and dry!

Backpacks!

Image Source: Reddit

Please wash your backpacks, people! A recent study found that the bottom of a backpack is dirtier than a toilet seat! Think about all the places you put a backpack throughout the day, on the floor in public, on bus seats, gym floors and more... it kind of makes sense doesn't it?

Kitchen Towels!

Image Source: Reddit

When you think of all the things that you actually use your kitchen towels for, it's sort of gross! Cleaning hands, wiping up spillages, drying dishes, and more! Similar to everything else we've spoken about, many people don't wash their kitchen towels anywhere near enough!

Eating Hair!

Image Source: Reddit

This one is super gross... On average it is calculated that the average person will eat at least 12 hairs of other people per year! Done without realizing it, so many people consume someone else's hair, and we've all been there, having to fish out a hair out of our food is a surefire way to lose an appetite!

Playing With Your Dogs!

Image Source: Reddit

Playing with dogs, and dog toys where their saliva makes contact with your face is one that everyone knows is kind of gross but no one wants to admit it! Well, I'm here to tell you, please stop letting your dog lick your face! It's gross! Their mouths have so much bacteria that are not meant to come anywhere human faces!

Having A Purse!

Image Source: Reddit

Similar to backpacks... when was the last time you washed your purse, and in that time, what's been inside, outside, and around your purse? They are things that go everywhere with us and are exposed to so many different kinds of bacteria, viruses, and germs! Take this as your sign to give your purse a good old clean!