Here’s a scenario that is all too familiar.  Someone goes into a public space, uses the washroom and then exits without washing their hands, or maybe they do but without soap. 

While you may not, many people do and, unwittingly, you later come into contact with items they touched.  More alarmingly, you may even come into direct contact with them.

Good personal hygiene is essential in promoting good health and wellness.  It helps diminish the transference of germs and bacteria.  We assume that everyone employs healthy practices, but that is not necessarily the case.

Often we pay attention to our children to ensure they develop good personal hygiene habits, but adults may also need reminders.  Additionally, it’s not only essential to have access to sanitary ware at our homes, but also at our workplaces and in the public spaces where we socialise.

In public spaces, we are more prone to picking up or transmitting germs.  Door handles, office telephones, and desk surfaces are all ports of transference. Multiple people use these surfaces throughout the day, and one person neglecting hygienic practices can affect many others. For example, the common cold can spread within the office among colleagues, who may then infect their children.

We are aware that good personal hygiene may be considered ‘rudimentary’.  So, to reinforce what you already know, we consulted with Leela Ramsingh of LSA Healthcare Services to generate several useful tips.

Here are a few simple tips on how to maintain good personal hygiene when in public.

– Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom.

– Use a paper towel to dry your hands and dispose of it in a trash bin. 

– Be sure to make use of hand sanitiser and wipes.  To ensure your hands are clean, use them at different times throughout the day.

– It’s always prudent to sanitise toilet seats before using, especially when using a public facility.

– When using public washrooms, at the office or another establishment, make use of toilet seat covers if they are available.

– Ensure that you close the toilet lid when flushing as toilet flushing creates a plume of bacteria in the air.  After flushing, open the top to make sure the bowl is clean for the next user.

– Use wastebaskets to dispose of trash.  Don’t store used napkins or tissue in bags or leave on counters. 

– Make use of feminine hygiene bins for disposal of used sanitary napkins and tampons — wash hands with soap afterwards.

– Whether at home, at work or out with friends, be committed to promoting good health.  Practice good personal hygiene.

Yello thanks Leela Ramsingh of LSA Healthcare Services Ltd for collaborating on this article.

Source: LAS Healthcare Services Ltd, and Dettol