Good hygiene is not just about cleaning and disinfecting yourself regularly. It also involves preventing the spread of pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses. That is why people need to avoid sharing towels, toiletries, toothbrushes, and other items.

The practice of sharing lip balms, lipsticks, and pots of cream increases the risk of picking up contagious diseases. These products often get smeared on swathes of skin that might be injured and already infected.

Furthermore, the ingredients of cream include fats. Combined with the moist conditions inside a pot, the fatty material serves as a comfy home for microbes like the Herpes simplex virus.

Earphones end up coated with ear wax that may carry dirt and germs. They also block off the ear, which causes the interior to get warm and wet, just the way bugs like it. Inserting and removing the earbuds can also injure the skin inside the ear, giving harmful bacteria an opening to enter the body.

Sharing food and drinks with other people means swallowing their saliva as well, thereby passing bacteria and viruses. Popcorn and other finger foods pick up potential pathogens from the hands of the person.

Sharing these common and ordinary items can lead to the spread of contagious diseases

Microbes like gloves. They especially like the dark, moist, and warm interior of the hand garment. Wash gloves are particularly hospitable since water often gets inside them. Do not bring gloves anywhere near food and always wash your hands after taking them off.

Toothbrushes pick up a lot of bacteria and viruses from the mouth and the air of the bathroom, especially after each flush of the toilet. Keep each brush inside its own pot and store them inside a cabinet. As for mouthwashes, do not take a swig directly from the bottle – use the cap and then rinse it afterward.

Couches can host influenza viruses for several days. When you plunk yourself on the seat, it releases aerosols that spread its payload of microorganisms on you. Stick to leather and vinyl couches that are easy to disinfect, or sit on the floor since that gets cleaned more often.

Using a safety razor may result in cuts on the skin. Some of the wounds are so small that they do not bleed and are invisible to the naked eye. No matter its size, a cut allows bacteria, fungi, and viruses to enter your body.

Sharing is NOT caring when it involves infectious bacteria, fungi, and viruses

Keep personal eyeliner, mascara, and other facial care products away from other users. They are moist enough to keep microbes alive until the latter can infect the mucous membrane of the eye. The products and their associated brushes can spread acne, common cold, conjunctivitis, flu, and measles.

A hand towel takes just a couple of days to collect more bacteria than a toilet. They are usually damp, are often used by people who don’t wash their hands correctly, and kept inside moist bathrooms. Use a personal towel and clean the fabric thoroughly with hot water and reliable cleaners.

Head lice are not the only harmful organisms that can spread through shared brushes and combs. They can also collect bacteria and fungi that cause ringworm and scabies. Children are especially at risk since the pH levels of their scalp are not enough to kill bacteria.

Finally, clippers, cutters, and files used for tending nails must be kept private. Either sterilize them after each use or dispose of them. Otherwise, they may gather and spread disease-causing fungi from damaged nails.

Taking care of your health is just as important as looking good.