This document lists the 12 germiest places and provides details about the high levels of bacteria found in each location. The top germy places include kitchen sinks, airplane bathrooms, wet laundry loads, public drinking fountains, shopping cart handles, ATM buttons, handbags, playgrounds, gym equipment, bathtubs, office phones, and hotel remote controls. It recommends conducting "germ warfare" by washing hands frequently with soap and water and cleaning surfaces with antibacterial products to fight against germs and prevent illness.

1. The Dirty Dozen
Check out these twelve
places where germs love
to hang out.

2. 1. Your kitchen sink
They’re germier than most
bathrooms (typically more
than 500,000 bacteria per
square inch). Extra gross out?
Your sponge, basin and faucet
handles are also crawling with
bacterial.
.

3. 2. Airplane bathrooms
The volcanic flush of the
commode can spew particles
into the air, coating the floor
and walls with whatever had
been swirling around in it. Ew.

4. 3. A load of wet laundry
Any time you transfer
underwear from the washer to
the dryer, you risk getting E.
coli on your hands. Just one
soiled undergarment can
spread bacteria to the whole
load and machine.

5. 4. Public drinking fountains
School fountains are the worst,
with anywhere from 62,000 to
2.7 million bacteria per square
inch on the spigot.
.

6. 5. Shopping cart handles
Saliva, bacteria and fecal
matter are just a few
offenders, because shopping
carts are handled by dozens of
people every day. Bonus yuck?
Raw food carrying nasty
pathogens.
.

7. 6. ATM buttons
If you’re not careful, you might
pick up more than quick cash
from your local ATM. These
buttons have more gunk on
them than most public-
bathroom doorknobs!

8. 7. Your handbag
Most women’s purses had tens
of thousands of bacteria on the
bottom and a few were
overrun with millions. Who
knew.

9. 8. Playgrounds
Blood, mucus, saliva and urine
are just a few of the germs
you’ll encounter on equipment
while getting fresh air and
exercise.

10. 9. Mats and machines at
health clubs
Oh-so-unhealthy antibiotic-
resistant staphylococcus has
been found on yoga and mats
as well as cardio and resistance
machines at health clubs

11. 10. Your bathtub
Thanks to its moist
environment, staphylococcus
bacteria is more likely to be in
your tub than your garbage
can.

12. 11. Your office phone
Office and cell phones often
have more than 25,000 germs
per square inch, with your
desk, computer keyboard and
mouse not far behind.

13. 12. The hotel-room remote
control
Door handles, light switches,
pens and faucet handles are
also common carriers of
pathogens preying on the
travel weary.

14. What to do? Conduct some germ warfare of your own!
Wash your hands with soap and water whenever you
can. Thoroughly clean surfaces with antibacterial
products. Keep wipes and/or hand sanitizer with you
throughout your day and use them immediately after
coming in contact with suspicious surfaces. Just those
simple steps alone will significantly improve your fight
against germs… and resulting colds, infections and other
illnesses.
Source:
http://www.today.com/id/21423163/ns/today-
today_health/t/soap-germiest-places-your-
life/%23.VfbXD51Viko#.VfblEJeiCvM