The term bacteria was devised in the 19th century by the German botanist Ferdinand Cohn, who based it on the Greek word “bakterion,” meaning a small rod or staff. In 1853, Cohn categorized bacteria as one of three types of microorganisms: bacteria (short rods), bacilli (longer rods) and spirilla (spiral forms). The term “bacteria” was preceded in the 17th century by the microscopic animalcules described by Antony van Leeuwenhoek.
I hope this newest report doesn’t pop your bubble too hard, but according to some researchers, you have more bacteria in your bathtub than you do in the trashcan. Not only that, but there are more bacteria on the kitchen counter than on the toilet seat! Yuck!
The study and survey was performed by the Hygiene Council, which is funded by Reckitt Benckiser, the Lysol Company. This is how they performed it: Researchers visited 35 U.S. homes and swabbing 32 locations for bacteria in each home. The spots are ranked in terms of the average number of bacteria per square inch.
1. Toilet bowl: 3.2 million bacteria
2. Kitchen drain: 567,845 bacteria
3. Sponge or counter-wiping cloth: 134,630 bacteria
4. Bathtub, near drain: 119,468 bacteria
5. Kitchen sink, near drain: 17,964 bacteria
6. Kitchen faucet handle: 13,227 bacteria
7. Bathroom faucet handle: 6,267 bacteria
8. Bathroom sink, near drain: 2,733 bacteria
9. Pet food dish, inside rim: 2,110 bacteria
10. Kitchen floor, in front of sink: 830 bacteria
11. Toilet floor, in front of toilet: 764 bacteria
12. Kitchen countertop: 488 bacteria
13. Bathroom countertop: 452 bacteria
14. Garbage bin: 411 bacteria
15. Dish towel: 408 bacteria
16. Toy: 345 bacteria
17. Kitchen tabletop: 344 bacteria
18. Home office phone or refrigerator door: 319 bacteria
19. Toilet seat: 295 bacteria
20. Bathroom light switch: 217 bacteria
21. Microwave buttons: 214 bacteria
22. Kitchen chopping board: 194 bacteria
23. Child-training potty: 191 bacteria
24. Infant changing mat and infant high chair: 190 bacteria
25. Kitchen phone: 133 bacteria
26. Bathroom door’s inside handle: 121 bacteria
27. Toilet’s flush handle: 83 bacteria
28. TV remote control: 70 bacteria
29. Home office computer keyboard: 64 bacteria
30. Home office computer mouse: 50 bacteria
An ounce of prevention: The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
You can use a mixture of one teaspoon chlorine bleach to one quart of water for a homemade sanitizing solution, or a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar (from the supermarket) kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold and 80 percent of germs (also known as viruses).
Vinegar is a fantastic all-natural cleaning agent for household surfaces. Surprisingly, cleaning with vinegar doesn’t leave the bold, salty stench you might imagine. Once you wipe a surface clean, the vinegar odor disintegrates into a sweet, fresh smell.
Here’s a list of common problem areas in the home you can address with vinegar:
To remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher, pour a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and run it through one rinse cycle. Repeat this monthly.
Banish lime deposits in a teakettle by adding half of a cup of white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If the deposits are still intact, boil another half of a cup in the kettle for a few minutes, let it cool and then rinse it with plain water.
To remove a label or price tag, cover the adhesive with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight, and in the morning, the label will slide off!
Get rid of mildew and soap scum in the tub or shower by wiping the surface with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
To deodorize the toilet, pour three cups of white distilled vinegar into the bowl and then let it sit for about a half hour before flushing.
To clean and disinfect baby or pet toys, add a generous splash of white distilled vinegar to some soapy water.
Clean and deodorize counter tops with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Many brand name cleaners are beginning to offer environmentally friendly versions of their glass cleaners, but perhaps one of the greenest of all is cleaning with vinegar. Use a simple solution of two tablespoons of white vinegar in a gallon of water, and use newspapers instead of paper towels. If vinegar isn’t your thing (if you have a lot of windows to clean, the smell might be a bit much) lemon juice or club soda are good alternatives.