Keeping Your Hands Clean in a Dirty World

It used to be a little odd to see someone disinfecting her computer keyboard or phone before using it, even in a public office. There was a time when you'd walk into shopping centers and not see disinfectant wipes next to the handheld baskets or shopping carts. The odds of seeing antibacterial stands in major shopping malls was slim to none.

However, lately Illinois has been jumping on the bandwagon about making this state a little more aware of germs. Countless bathrooms now have garbage cans next to the door for those who don't like to touch doorknobs and wipe dispensers attached to the bank of the entrance and exit bathroom doors for those who use hand dryers but still want something to open the doors. In Lincolnwood Town Center mall located in Lincolnwood, IL on Touhy Avenue, there's now an antibacterial stand close to the escalators. Anybody who walks by can squirt a little ointment on their hands and keep on shopping.

In an Evanston target location close to McCormick Boulevard, there's now sanitizer and disposable wipes propped up next to the handheld baskets. Illinoisans are finding antibacterial ointment and hand sanitizer more visibly during their shopping experience.

So how does this effect you? One of the most common ways to catch a cold-especially during Chicago's brutally cold weather and snowstorms that have been going on for the past couple weeks-is making physical contact with someone who is ill.

Have you ever shook someone's hand and then rubbed your eyes or leaned your palm in your hand? Do you regularly attend dinner parties and office events with people who you are just meeting, shake their hands and pick up the first finger food you see? You don't want to be rude and not shake this person's hand while you're eating, but at the same time that person could've just sneezed, coughed or scratched something before they made contact with you. And who knows where the hands of those who have been strolling around with shopping carts, shopping baskets and holding doors open end up?

You don't want to come off as obsessive compulsive about germs or be a germophobic, so you try to be polite. But how do you keep yourself healthy from bad germs while out on the town?

Tip One: Keep antibacterial ointment in your purse or pocket. Whenever you feel the need to use it, use it. It dries on the hands in seconds.

Tip Two: Make a point of only shaking hands before you get your food. After you have started touching your food, even if it's with a fork, use a handkerchief to shake hands. Or, play it cool and use the hand you would normally use for handshakes to cover your mouth. The other person will assume you're trying not to talk with your mouth full and move his hand away.

Tip Three: Use wipes on shopping carts and baskets every single time you walk into a store.

Tip Four: Wash your hands after you have been handling money. Money is one of the many items that millions of people could've touched before it reached you. Beware of cashiers who also prepare food items. Ask the cashier to wash her hands before preparing your items or make sure she uses gloves.

Tip Five: Wipe silverware with your handkerchief before putting it in your mouth. Although the silverware is supposed to be clean, there's still dust around and people walking by to get to their tables.

Tip Six: Wash your hands before and after you have prepared a meal. Make sure your guests do as well because if your hands are clean, and your guest walks up to the table to make a plate, your guest is passing his germs onto the next person who touches the food items. This is especially important if you pray before you eat. Joining hands with someone who has not washed his hands and then sitting down to eat is a quick way to end up sick or ingesting what was on his hands into your mouth.

Tip Seven: Wash your hands before and after using the bathroom. If you see someone getting ready to walk out of the bathroom without doing so, don't be afraid to speak up. You have to touch that doorknob or door handle so you are entitled to want them to be courteous of your health too.

Tip Eight: Use paper towels, your sleeve or your foot to open public bathroom doors. If you can't get those who feel like hand-washing is a treat instead of a mandatory task to wash their hands, at least make sure you don't touch their germs.

Tip Nine: Wipe your home doorknobs at least once a week. If you have people, especially children, coming and leaving out of different bedrooms, bathrooms, front door and closets, be aware of germs in your own home.

Tip Ten: Avoid sneezing directly into your hands. Instead sneeze into the inner elbow part of your shirt. The likelihood of you touching that area is rare unless you roll up your sleeves, and you don't want to cough or sneeze directly into the hair.

Tip Eleven: Do not eat while combing, brushing or styling your hair or anybody else's. Sometimes you see beauticians munching on chips in between doing your hair, and the ruder ones won't have a problem with smoking near you. All of those fumes, germs from the hair stylist licking her fingers and food crumbs are going into your hair. And if you're the one who's eating and styling your hair, you could possibly end up with hair in your mouth or dirt and dandruff from someone else's head. Unless you don't have a problem with licking someone else's scalp, take a break to eat and then come back to styling hair when you're done snacking.