Opened a door lately? Wash your hands!

[megan]

i am not sure what you are saying about a dental office. i managed two over twelve years and nothing in one mouth went into another. the xray film holders are never used from one patient to the next. they are plastic and are disinfected in between. also, we put plastic wrap around the handles on lights. overkill? i don't think so since (sorry) there is blood involved in dental procedures. we had plastic wrap all over the place.
if this is not happening where you go, it's time to change dentists..

But the plastic wrap is never removed. I've never seen them replace the plastic wrap, even when I see them taking all the tools and trays away. And now you get glasses to wear. Are those disinfected?
The worst germs are kid germs anyway. Little germ factories. The sickest I've ever been here is when there have been kids around. There are little plastic farm toys for them to play with and they get bleached after the kids leave. But kids touch everything. They go under the beds, under the chairs and tables. And everything goes in the mouth. Remotes, coasters, doorknobs, the edge of the table, everything. They're like little beavers, gnawing on everything.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

i am not sure what you are saying about a dental office. i managed two over twelve years and nothing in one mouth went into another. the xray film holders are never used from one patient to the next. they are plastic and are disinfected in between. also, we put plastic wrap around the handles on lights. overkill? i don't think so since (sorry) there is blood involved in dental procedures. we had plastic wrap all over the place.
if this is not happening where you go, it's time to change dentists..

i am not sure what you are saying about a dental office. i managed two over twelve years and nothing in one mouth went into another. the xray film holders are never used from one patient to the next. they are plastic and are disinfected in between. also, we put plastic wrap around the handles on lights. overkill? i don't think so since (sorry) there is blood involved in dental procedures. we had plastic wrap all over the place.
if this is not happening where you go, it's time to change dentists.

No plastic on the handles of the light. Yes they probably (xray) were disinfected, but I wanted to see a new one put on. I was there first thing when they opened.
You are the right person to ask, where do they disinfect the tools that they lay on the tray near the other tools after scraping and making your gums bleed during a clean? Is there a solution like a manicurist uses for their tools?

 

[hawley]

I was at the dentist yesterday for a cleaning.
What about the light they pull down after having their hands in your mouth? Sure they put new gloves on each time for new patients, but the light!
I had xrays as I hadn't had them for a few years. You have to bite down on this plastic bit for the panoramic ones. I asked her to put a new plastic bit on there before I bit onto it. Of course it ticked her off..

Yes, these are the kinds of things you have to watch out for yourself and your family.
When my grandson was 2 weeks old and weighed 5 pounds, the hospital put him on pediatrics instead of the nicu. So I stayed with him nights and his mom stayed with him days. That was when the hand disinfectant first came out. People would come into the room and not wash their hands or just put that stuff on their hands between patients. I wouldn't let them touch him until they went and washed their hands. Name me not popular, but I didn't care, they should have known better. At 5 pounds and he had a colonostomy 1 week earlier and was in for a emergency revision of the colonostomy.
You just have to watch out for yourselves and your family.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

i am not sure what you are saying about a dental office. i managed two over twelve years and nothing in one mouth went into another. the xray film holders are never used from one patient to the next. they are plastic and are disinfected in between. also, we put plastic wrap around the handles on lights. overkill? i don't think so since (sorry) there is blood involved in dental procedures. we had plastic wrap all over the place.
if this is not happening where you go, it's time to change dentists..

But the plastic wrap is never removed. I've never seen them replace the plastic wrap, even when I see them taking all the tools and trays away. And now you get glasses to wear. Are those disinfected?
The worst germs are kid germs anyway. Little germ factories. The sickest I've ever been here is when there have been kids around. There are little plastic farm toys for them to play with and they get bleached after the kids leave. But kids touch everything. They go under the beds, under the chairs and tables. And everything goes in the mouth. Remotes, coasters, doorknobs, the edge of the table, everything. They're like little beavers, gnawing on everything.
.

But the plastic wrap is never removed. I've never seen them replace the plastic wrap, even when I see them taking all the tools and trays away. And now you get glasses to wear. Are those disinfected?
The worst germs are kid germs anyway. Little germ factories. The sickest I've ever been here is when there have been kids around. There are little plastic farm toys for them to play with and they get bleached after the kids leave. But kids touch everything. They go under the beds, under the chairs and tables. And everything goes in the mouth. Remotes, coasters, doorknobs, the edge of the table, everything. They're like little beavers, gnawing on everything.

You all mentioned stuffed toys on a thread a while back. I didn't mention it then, but many day cares won't accept them now as they harbor lice. (They are not atteacted to the animals but can be on them as lice don't jump. So enroute to the next host).
There was a really sweet lady who went to Goodwill and brought all the kids stuffed animals one year at school and spread lice around the classroom. Letter came home to all the parents.

 

[user 26]

yes, we DID remove the plastic wrap between patients. it really depends on who is in charge of protocol in your dental office, but it took very little time to switch out the plastic wrap. your dental office should be changing it between patients ... and the glasses are supposed to be put in a sterilization solution.
if you want to know about sterilization procedures in your dentist's office, ask. usually they are happy to tell you since it is so over-regulated. so many things must be disposable; autoclaves (sterilization equipment like pressure cookers) all are very expensive.

 

[swirt]

What about the clerks pen at the grocery store? I have my pen in hand each and every time and never set my hand bag on the little rest or use it to write out a check, ever. There are wipes at that particular store as well and when someone offers me their cart - hot out of their hands I decline it. I go get a cold one from outside..

They showed a grocery store in MD last night on the news that has a cart washer which sprays a hydrogen peroxide solution over the carts. I think they said it cost $7,000 but the owner was really concerned and wanted to provide the service for his customers.
.

How on earth did any of us survive growing up in our germy worlds?? We developed immunities. We were not germophobic!!
.

I think you are right, and even worse than that (I've been reading a bit) ...there is an increase in autoimune diseases because our bodies immune systems are essentially getting bored and attacking other healthy parts of the body for no reason.

 

[user 26]

anything on a tray used during your visit is required to be disinfected in the 'lab' of the office ... a room with sinks and disinfecting equipment. the instruments are usually put in a basket in a solution and vibrated ... after the cycle, they are rinsed and bagged in special pouches, then put in the autoclave for sterilization. the little motors that make the drills and tools spin ... those are autoclaved as well. there are containers for 'sharps' and any trash from your visit is supposed to go in 'bio' bags for trash pickup by those who deal in 'medical waste'
i am not kidding when i say you should ask what procedures your dental office follows. we had a whole protocol to follow.
all members of the office staff and our families were patients, the dentist had his teeth cleaned in our office, and his wife and family were patients. i had complete confidence sitting in the chair or bringing in my children for care. you should, too.

 

[sandynn]

What about the clerks pen at the grocery store? I have my pen in hand each and every time and never set my hand bag on the little rest or use it to write out a check, ever. There are wipes at that particular store as well and when someone offers me their cart - hot out of their hands I decline it. I go get a cold one from outside..

They showed a grocery store in MD last night on the news that has a cart washer which sprays a hydrogen peroxide solution over the carts. I think they said it cost $7,000 but the owner was really concerned and wanted to provide the service for his customers.
.

How on earth did any of us survive growing up in our germy worlds?? We developed immunities. We were not germophobic!!
.

I think you are right, and even worse than that (I've been reading a bit) ...there is an increase in autoimune diseases because our bodies immune systems are essentially getting bored and attacking other healthy parts of the body for no reason.
.

My daughter in law is from the Ukraine and when I went there twice I was sure I was going to die from something having to do with germs. They are very odd about things. I bet they thought I was odd. My daughter in law is never never sick. So I think there is something about being too careful here. At the open air market they leave eggs out all day. I asked her if they don't have to put them in a cooler. She said they never do. It was hot while I was there.
I disinfect door knobs, remotes, soap dispensers, and anything eles I think might have germs on it from guests.

 

[Proud Texan]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

 

[ginocat]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

Wipes Could Spread Bacteria: Study

​

Published Date: 2008/6/4 0:10:00
Article ID : 4367
Version 1.00
By Helen Branswell
The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Antibacterial wipes used in hospitals may not be having the intended effect, a new study from Wales suggests.
The work, done by researchers from Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy, shows that the wipes do not kill high numbers of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. So if they are used on more than one surface, rather than cleaning they may just be spreading germs around.
The researchers studied three types of wipes - one containing detergent, another containing disinfectants and a third containing a natural antimicrobial product.
"We found that all three wipes suffered from the same problem, in that they transferred high numbers (of bacteria) and in fact in most cases uncountable numbers to consecutive surfaces…Too many to count to the consecutive surfaces," said Gareth Williams, a microbiologist who presented the findings Tuesday at an American Society for Microbiology conference in Boston.
Williams wouldn't name the products and it's unclear if they would be used in Canadian hospitals.
But he said the work shows there's a risk in using similar products if a single wipe is used to clean more than one surface.
Dr. Andrew Simor, head of microbiology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, said he wasn't surprised by the findings.
"These disinfectants don't kill all the bugs. That's not how they work," said Simor, who was not involved in the research.
"You're physically removing a layer of the organisms. But that doesn't necessarily kill them. And so it's easy to pick them up and transfer them to another area."
Simor said in North America infection control recommendations would specify that a wipe should be used to clean a single area and then should be discarded.
Williams and his colleagues started their work by watching how cleaners in an intensive-care unit used the products.
"There was a tendency for the staff in the intensive-care unit to ... move on to consecutive surfaces in close proximity to the initial surface. So from a bed rail to a table, for instance. ... With the same wipe."
"That set the alarm bells ringing."
They tested whether the three types of wipes could transfer methicillin-resistant Staph aureus - MRSA - or the antibiotic sensitive form of the bacteria from a surface inoculated with the bugs and whether the germs died if they were directly applied to the wipes.
All three types transferred MRSA, though in differing amounts. And none killed sufficient quantities of the bacteria to make reuse of a wipe safe.
Williams said his group is writing guidelines to make clear these products should be used on a single surface only.
The researchers did not study whether the same effect would be seen in a household if, for instance, a single wipe was used to clean multiple surfaces.
But Simor said in his estimation these types of products aren't needed in homes.
"Our households are not settings where you've got the same risk of spread of infection from the environment to individuals (as in hospitals)," he said. "The germs that are involved are generally not as virulent or not as capable of causing such severe disease."
"And finally, standard good household practices are really all that's required to make a household kitchen or bathroom or bedroom safe. You don't need all this other stuff."

 

[Proud Texan]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

Wipes Could Spread Bacteria: Study

​

Published Date: 2008/6/4 0:10:00
Article ID : 4367
Version 1.00
By Helen Branswell
The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Antibacterial wipes used in hospitals may not be having the intended effect, a new study from Wales suggests.
The work, done by researchers from Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy, shows that the wipes do not kill high numbers of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. So if they are used on more than one surface, rather than cleaning they may just be spreading germs around.
The researchers studied three types of wipes - one containing detergent, another containing disinfectants and a third containing a natural antimicrobial product.
"We found that all three wipes suffered from the same problem, in that they transferred high numbers (of bacteria) and in fact in most cases uncountable numbers to consecutive surfaces…Too many to count to the consecutive surfaces," said Gareth Williams, a microbiologist who presented the findings Tuesday at an American Society for Microbiology conference in Boston.
Williams wouldn't name the products and it's unclear if they would be used in Canadian hospitals.
But he said the work shows there's a risk in using similar products if a single wipe is used to clean more than one surface.
Dr. Andrew Simor, head of microbiology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, said he wasn't surprised by the findings.
"These disinfectants don't kill all the bugs. That's not how they work," said Simor, who was not involved in the research.
"You're physically removing a layer of the organisms. But that doesn't necessarily kill them. And so it's easy to pick them up and transfer them to another area."
Simor said in North America infection control recommendations would specify that a wipe should be used to clean a single area and then should be discarded.
Williams and his colleagues started their work by watching how cleaners in an intensive-care unit used the products.
"There was a tendency for the staff in the intensive-care unit to ... move on to consecutive surfaces in close proximity to the initial surface. So from a bed rail to a table, for instance. ... With the same wipe."
"That set the alarm bells ringing."
They tested whether the three types of wipes could transfer methicillin-resistant Staph aureus - MRSA - or the antibiotic sensitive form of the bacteria from a surface inoculated with the bugs and whether the germs died if they were directly applied to the wipes.
All three types transferred MRSA, though in differing amounts. And none killed sufficient quantities of the bacteria to make reuse of a wipe safe.
Williams said his group is writing guidelines to make clear these products should be used on a single surface only.
The researchers did not study whether the same effect would be seen in a household if, for instance, a single wipe was used to clean multiple surfaces.
But Simor said in his estimation these types of products aren't needed in homes.
"Our households are not settings where you've got the same risk of spread of infection from the environment to individuals (as in hospitals)," he said. "The germs that are involved are generally not as virulent or not as capable of causing such severe disease."
"And finally, standard good household practices are really all that's required to make a household kitchen or bathroom or bedroom safe. You don't need all this other stuff."
.

Ginocat,
Surely you're not suggesting that an Inn/B&B would be the same as the average home.
Guests, even nice guests can be really nasty and take little thought to the innkeepers health or to any guests that may follow them when they are occupying a room. I don't think I have to expand on the subject here, for I'm sure everyone in this forum could tell horror stories of germicidal warfare and bodily discharges from their guests.
Unfortunately, without requiring a physical, you don't know what your guests could be transmitting to your quarters. If you're lucky it's just a killer flu virus or eboli.
And you still did not address how what you do is any different from using wipes.

 

[ginocat]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

Wipes Could Spread Bacteria: Study

​

Published Date: 2008/6/4 0:10:00
Article ID : 4367
Version 1.00
By Helen Branswell
The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Antibacterial wipes used in hospitals may not be having the intended effect, a new study from Wales suggests.
The work, done by researchers from Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy, shows that the wipes do not kill high numbers of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. So if they are used on more than one surface, rather than cleaning they may just be spreading germs around.
The researchers studied three types of wipes - one containing detergent, another containing disinfectants and a third containing a natural antimicrobial product.
"We found that all three wipes suffered from the same problem, in that they transferred high numbers (of bacteria) and in fact in most cases uncountable numbers to consecutive surfaces…Too many to count to the consecutive surfaces," said Gareth Williams, a microbiologist who presented the findings Tuesday at an American Society for Microbiology conference in Boston.
Williams wouldn't name the products and it's unclear if they would be used in Canadian hospitals.
But he said the work shows there's a risk in using similar products if a single wipe is used to clean more than one surface.
Dr. Andrew Simor, head of microbiology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, said he wasn't surprised by the findings.
"These disinfectants don't kill all the bugs. That's not how they work," said Simor, who was not involved in the research.
"You're physically removing a layer of the organisms. But that doesn't necessarily kill them. And so it's easy to pick them up and transfer them to another area."
Simor said in North America infection control recommendations would specify that a wipe should be used to clean a single area and then should be discarded.
Williams and his colleagues started their work by watching how cleaners in an intensive-care unit used the products.
"There was a tendency for the staff in the intensive-care unit to ... move on to consecutive surfaces in close proximity to the initial surface. So from a bed rail to a table, for instance. ... With the same wipe."
"That set the alarm bells ringing."
They tested whether the three types of wipes could transfer methicillin-resistant Staph aureus - MRSA - or the antibiotic sensitive form of the bacteria from a surface inoculated with the bugs and whether the germs died if they were directly applied to the wipes.
All three types transferred MRSA, though in differing amounts. And none killed sufficient quantities of the bacteria to make reuse of a wipe safe.
Williams said his group is writing guidelines to make clear these products should be used on a single surface only.
The researchers did not study whether the same effect would be seen in a household if, for instance, a single wipe was used to clean multiple surfaces.
But Simor said in his estimation these types of products aren't needed in homes.
"Our households are not settings where you've got the same risk of spread of infection from the environment to individuals (as in hospitals)," he said. "The germs that are involved are generally not as virulent or not as capable of causing such severe disease."
"And finally, standard good household practices are really all that's required to make a household kitchen or bathroom or bedroom safe. You don't need all this other stuff."
.

Ginocat,
Surely you're not suggesting that an Inn/B&B would be the same as the average home.
Guests, even nice guests can be really nasty and take little thought to the innkeepers health or to any guests that may follow them when they are occupying a room. I don't think I have to expand on the subject here, for I'm sure everyone in this forum could tell horror stories of germicidal warfare and bodily discharges from their guests.
Unfortunately, without requiring a physical, you don't know what your guests could be transmitting to your quarters. If you're lucky it's just a killer flu virus or eboli.
And you still did not address how what you do is any different from using wipes.
.

This is from an article I had some time ago from a Wisconsin publication and I can't find the original publication.
Although antibacterial soaps and cleansing products are very popular among consumers, it is unlikely that they offer any additional benefit to users. In fact, antibacterial products may be contributing to the production of more powerful and dangerous strains of bacteria. These new strains of bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, making it increasingly difficult to treat common infections.
The article goes on to say that a bleach solution is the best but it must have contact for at least 2 minutes with the item being sanitized.
The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a bleach solution and The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says this: -
In most workplaces and homes, cleaning floors, walls, doorknobs, etc with soap and water is very adequate. In some workplaces, such as a hospital or health care facility, further cleaning can be done with the following:

• • bleach solution of 1 to 100 (1 part bleach in 99 parts tap water). This solution is effective for material contaminated with blood and body fluids. It should be used in well ventilated areas, and wear gloves and goggles especially when pouring or where there is a risk of splashing. Do not mix with ammonia or soaps containing ammonia (will react and form chlorine gas). Bleach is corrosive to metals.
  • Alcohol (70% ethanol) can be used on smooth metal surfaces, tabletops, etc where bleach cannot be used. Use with care as it is flammable and toxic. Follow safe procedures as listed on the MSDS or the manufacturers instructions. Keep away from heat sources, electrical equipment, flames and hot surfaces. Allow to completely dry.

Apart from everything else I have a real problem with using things that you throw away. When I clean I fill a sink or pail with my bleach solution and use a cloth to clean. The cloth is continually being cleaned by the bleach solution. I may switch to tea tree oil now.
I don't get sick. I have international visitors who arrive with various and sundry bacteria, colds, flus sometimes. I wash, wash, wash my hands.

 

[ginocat]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

I have all this stuff in my documents and it's a point of finding them.
There's another issue that was discussed by Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) talking about allergies.
LINK BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS AND ALLERGIES
Many experts believe that for normal maturation, the immune system must be stimulated to acquire the precise balance between T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 activity. Individuals with allergies and eczema are more likely to have a Th-1:Th-2 imbalance, with more Th-2 activity. Some experts are concerned that there may be an association between too much hygiene and allergies (19-21). It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma (22), it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.

 

[Proud Texan]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

I have all this stuff in my documents and it's a point of finding them.
There's another issue that was discussed by Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) talking about allergies.
LINK BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS AND ALLERGIES
Many experts believe that for normal maturation, the immune system must be stimulated to acquire the precise balance between T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 activity. Individuals with allergies and eczema are more likely to have a Th-1:Th-2 imbalance, with more Th-2 activity. Some experts are concerned that there may be an association between too much hygiene and allergies (19-21). It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma (22), it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.
.

Once again...IN THE HOME. We are not medical facilities, but we do owe it to our guests to provide a safe and clean environment.
Hopefully no one will be raising their children in your accommodations, so you don't have to be concerned with their T cells.

 

[ginocat]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

I have all this stuff in my documents and it's a point of finding them.
There's another issue that was discussed by Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) talking about allergies.
LINK BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS AND ALLERGIES
Many experts believe that for normal maturation, the immune system must be stimulated to acquire the precise balance between T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 activity. Individuals with allergies and eczema are more likely to have a Th-1:Th-2 imbalance, with more Th-2 activity. Some experts are concerned that there may be an association between too much hygiene and allergies (19-21). It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma (22), it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.
.

Once again...IN THE HOME. We are not medical facilities, but we do owe it to our guests to provide a safe and clean environment.
Hopefully no one will be raising their children in your accommodations, so you don't have to be concerned with their T cells.
.

I haven't made anyone sick in 17 years. I do keep things clean so don't insult me. I don't cross-contaminate and I don't use throw-away things that chemical companies are making big bucks on. I can guarantee you that hotels are not using anti-bacterial wipes and hospitals are not going through wads of anti-bacterial wipes. WE have created these super-bug issues in many different ways. You can go ahead and use your wipes. Whatever makes you happy and feel safe.
Would you like my opinions on carpet cleaners??

 

[YellowSocks]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

I have all this stuff in my documents and it's a point of finding them.
There's another issue that was discussed by Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) talking about allergies.
LINK BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS AND ALLERGIES
Many experts believe that for normal maturation, the immune system must be stimulated to acquire the precise balance between T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 activity. Individuals with allergies and eczema are more likely to have a Th-1:Th-2 imbalance, with more Th-2 activity. Some experts are concerned that there may be an association between too much hygiene and allergies (19-21). It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma (22), it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.
.

Once again...IN THE HOME. We are not medical facilities, but we do owe it to our guests to provide a safe and clean environment.
Hopefully no one will be raising their children in your accommodations, so you don't have to be concerned with their T cells.
.

Hopefully no one will be raising their children in your accommodations, so you don't have to be concerned with their T cells.

Ah, but I am.
But, as I'm not a germophobe, their T cells are getting plenty of opportunities.
=)
Kk.

 

[DaisyMae]

well, i too have to admit that i am a member of the germaphobe club. i cringe anytime i see someone walk out of a restroom & not wash their hands. i have seen adults with little children ,as well, walk right out the restroom door. i am one of those people who washes my hands & then uses the paper towel to open the door. i do not like seeing air dryers when i go in a restroom, because then i wonder how am i going to get out! lol! i usually end up using my sleeve, shirt, etc. i'm sure those have germs but not likely that they have the germs that are crawling on that door handle!
anyone ever seen the show "How clean is your house?" You never know what lurkes behind closed doors....

 

[DaisyMae]

my germaphobis came from the years i spent doing restaurant work. Money, dirty dishes, raw meats, raw eggs, etc.
back on the restroom topic againg, i was amazed when i would see someone walk out of the restroom & not wash their hands, then go right back to eating their dinner.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

my germaphobis came from the years i spent doing restaurant work. Money, dirty dishes, raw meats, raw eggs, etc.
back on the restroom topic againg, i was amazed when i would see someone walk out of the restroom & not wash their hands, then go right back to eating their dinner.

.

my germaphobis came from the years i spent doing restaurant work. Money, dirty dishes, raw meats, raw eggs, etc.
back on the restroom topic againg, i was amazed when i would see someone walk out of the restroom & not wash their hands, then go right back to eating their dinner.

And then go to the salad bar.

 

[Proud Texan]

i am not a 'germaphobe'. i think we use too many antibacterial cleaning products that lower our resistance to germs.
i am allergic to triclosan that is an active ingredient in many hand disinfectant products ... purell i think has ethyl alcohol which ravages my hands sadly. so i am a hand scrubber with mild soap.
that being said ... in florida, the publix stores have wipes to wipe over the bar of the grocery carts ... a very good idea in my opinion.
i believe hospitals are one of the dirtiest places to be. i have worked in a couple ... too many viruses and germs floating around in the air maybe. not to be gross, but ill people waiting in er's or in admissions or just coming to visit ... coughing and hacking with problems like diarrhea, add poor hygiene, and it is very hard to contain the bacteria. introduce those issues into the environment around a person with a compromised immune system or someone having surgery and ..... it's a very serious problem. i used to take the alcohol wipes and run them over the phone, the keyboard, the computer mouse, the pens and the door knobs..

Anti-bacterial wipes should be banned and they are being banned in some places. They kill good bacteria as well as bad bacteria leaving us even more vulnerable. I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.
The other thing is to wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. The first thing my husband and I do when returning home from public places is to wash our hands with soap and water. We are training ourselves to keep our hands away from our faces when out. It's so easy to forget and to rub an eye or scratch an itch, though.
.

I don't have anti-bacterial anything in my house. I use bleach or tea tree oil which is a great disinfectant. Put 15 drops in a spray bottle and clean with it. Do the same thing with hydrogen peroxide.

Hello!

DISINFECTANT = ANTI-BACTERIAL How is what you do any different from using a wipe? You're killing bacteria! I'm pretty sure that chlorine bleach can't discern between "good bacteria" and "bad bacteria. All you're doing is killing them with home remedies instead of a conventional commercial product.
If it makes you feel any better, after I clean a toilet with anti-bacterial products, I coat it with a good heaping mass of Active yogurt to replace the "good" bacteria.

.

I have all this stuff in my documents and it's a point of finding them.
There's another issue that was discussed by Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) talking about allergies.
LINK BETWEEN ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS AND ALLERGIES
Many experts believe that for normal maturation, the immune system must be stimulated to acquire the precise balance between T helper (Th)-1 and Th-2 activity. Individuals with allergies and eczema are more likely to have a Th-1:Th-2 imbalance, with more Th-2 activity. Some experts are concerned that there may be an association between too much hygiene and allergies (19-21). It has been speculated that if there is an association between infections in early childhood and a decreased incidence of allergies and asthma (22), it is possible that the excessive use of antibacterials in the home may predispose children to the development of allergies and asthma.
.

Once again...IN THE HOME. We are not medical facilities, but we do owe it to our guests to provide a safe and clean environment.
Hopefully no one will be raising their children in your accommodations, so you don't have to be concerned with their T cells.
.

I haven't made anyone sick in 17 years. I do keep things clean so don't insult me. I don't cross-contaminate and I don't use throw-away things that chemical companies are making big bucks on. I can guarantee you that hotels are not using anti-bacterial wipes and hospitals are not going through wads of anti-bacterial wipes. WE have created these super-bug issues in many different ways. You can go ahead and use your wipes. Whatever makes you happy and feel safe.
Would you like my opinions on carpet cleaners??

.

Relax. I'm not trying to insult anybody; this is just a conversation.

I have no doubt that you run a tight ship and keep things clean. But seriously, you have no way of knowing if you have or haven't made anyone sick in 17 years. Just because no one has reported it doesn't make is so. Unless you are housing guests in a bubble, there are going to be bacteria, viruses, dust, dust mites etc. lurking in the cleanest of rooms.
MY POINT was that you said that you "didn't use anti-bacterial products" but you did disinfect. IT'S THE SAME THING! You're killing as many "good" bacteria as the "bad", so you're creating the same problem with bacterial resistance as the commerical products. In order to build immunity, one has to be exposed to the bacteria in order for anti-bodies to be created. Look at the mortality tables. We live longer because of anti-biotics and modern cleaning methods. Granted there is a problem, but it has become a balancing act between increasing longevity and not compromising our immune systems.
Maybe the solution would be to NOT clean and have each guest immunized at the door.

I'm playing the devil's advocate here because I think the commerical products, (and wipes) create a problem with the environment. Using a wipe is not going to melt the polar ice caps, but the use of such products is cumulative and does have an effect.