If we ask the little ones to draw a germ, it is possible that they do it as a stain in the middle of the folio adorned by a face of few friends (which implies the evil of the germ, of course). If adults think about it, a computer recreation with globules floating in a blood vessel will probably come to mind.
And, although the representation is different, both kids and we have internalized something: germs are bad. But do we know what a germ is? Are we aware that they surround us and that they fill everything? Did you know that the concept of germ encompasses both animals and complex protein chains?
What is a germ, and what is not?
Many have a misconception of what a germ is and what is not. Some people even think that every type of microorganism is a germ. It is important to understand that there are different types of microorganisms in the home: bacteria, fungi, viruses and spores. Not all of these microorganisms are bad. There are good microorganisms and there are microorganisms that are bad and these are the germs.
For example, bacteria: there are good, passive and harmful. Good bacteria are all those bacteria we need because they help and protect us from the outside. In fact there are 100,000 trillion bacteria living in us totally harmless. Almost two kilos of us are not, technically, us, but small organisms that help us with our intestinal or cutaneous fleet.
According to the science reporter Bill Bryson, the bacteria "spent thousands of years without us. Without them we could not survive a single day. They process our waste and make it usable again. Purify our water and keep our soils productive." We must admit that they were before, that the planet is theirs, and that we came much later.
That is why we must emphasize that most of the bacteria we live with are beneficial. We have lived with them since our beginnings, and they don't have to worry us. And this happens because we take them from one place to another but as a general rule they ignore us.
However, germs are the group of harmful microorganisms for us: harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. They are those that could cause us a disease and with which we must be more careful.
Why do germs like our homes?
Compared to the countryside, there are usually many germs in the houses. What is still ironic, since we build them for our protection. What are all these partners doing here? Why don't they leave with fresh wind?
Well, maybe in the fresh wind is the key, and in our homes, freshness and dry environments do not abound. Quite the contrary. The houses are warm places, with a high degree of humidity and protected from the sun. The ideal space for germs to come to visit and decide to stay. But we must not be alarmed, because we have ways of throwing them out of the house.
Are there so many germs in the bathroom?
Making a decreasing list of places with more to less germs is impossible because not all homes are equal. But it is in the bathroom where we must stop, since there is a high degree of humidity and temperature, just what bacteria and fungi need to grow.
The most contaminated surfaces of a bath by germs are around the toilet and sink or sink, which is where bacterial-type microorganisms usually appear, and in the shower, where fungi grow.
The use of products with bleach, such as Estrella 2in1 (remember that cleaning and disinfecting is not the same) make these surfaces stay clean and disinfected creating a safe environment.
Are there many germs in the kitchen?
The main source of bacteria entering the kitchen is raw foods. Therefore, you should be careful and disinfect cutting boards, knives, work surfaces ... to avoid cross contamination do not touch with these utensils other raw foods that we will eat without cooking (the salad).
The use on surfaces of products such as Estrella 2in1, which contains detergent and bleach, will save us such problems. Another trick and good habit is to ensure and be careful in cleaning dishcloths and disinfecting the cloths, when you just use them by soaking them with a trickle of bleach.
Knobs, knobs, mobile phones ...
We would be surprised to know that there is a lot of bacteria concentration in these elements, although there is a little voice that tells us that it is so. They are objects that many hands pass through, hands that have touched endless things during the day. In normal situations it may not worry us, but in a house with children, we know that occasionally they may end up taking it to your mouth.
We have already seen that bacteria are not always bad, so we should not be alarmed and constantly disinfecting. Although if we suspect that they have been infected by a harmful agent, it is enough to give them a cloth with some dissolved bleach to remove until the last germ. And, if like the knobs, the object is next to wood or other lye-sensitive material, we can always use some product with active oxygen, such as Active Oxygen Star.
Images | Pixabay, Erika Wittlieb, iStock
