Kill Bacteria

Each day, we are bombarded with advice about how to kill bacteria. From newspaper articles and exposes to television commercials and ads, it seems this stream of health guidance is never-ending. Although clearly well intentioned, this wealth of opinion leaves most people feeling confused about how best to kill germs and bacteria.

Clean Where it Counts

You don't have to watch TV for very long before seeing a commercial for one cleaning product or another. Whether it's the cleaning power of oranges, pine, or some other secret "it" factor, we hear about new cleaning agents constantly. Each one promises the moon and stars and promises to do all the dirty work for us. They can all be quite tempting. It's why the tougher issue pertains to establishing which products are legitimate and which are likely to prove useless.

Interestingly, the practices for which most public health officials advocate are quite simple. Indeed, almost all health care staff are trained in "universal precautions," which are a set of basic hygiene practices for use in all environments. Universal precautions include instructions for everything from hand-washing (soap and warm water always) to proper handling of fish and poultry (separate utensils for handling raw and cooked food).

They also indicate the importance of maintaining a clean home environment. This includes the regular use of antibacterial cleaners in the kitchen and bathroom as well as the importance of keeping air clean, dry, and sanitary. Along these lines, many people advocate for the use of air purifiers that can remove microscopic bacteria before they infest food, clothing, furniture, and human respiratory systems. They decrease humidity and in turn, improve sanitation conditions.