15 Hygiene Mistakes That We As a Society Refuse to Stop Making

Welcome to our list of facts that will make you say, "Gross!" From the unsanitary ways we dry our hands to the bacteria-ridden cash we use every day, these facts are sure to gross you out. But don’t worry, there’s a silver lining: knowing about all the disgusting things we do on a daily basis might just motivate you to be more clean and sanitary!

We’re a nation of dirty, germ-spreaders and there’s nothing much we want to do about it. From the traditional (yet gross) apple-bobbing to sharing headphones covered in bacteria, we just love getting ourselves and others sick. And what’s our reasoning? "It’s tradition," or "I didn’t know!" But really, we should all know better by now.

So next time you’re considering eating food off the ground or lending out your headphones, think twice! It might not seem like a big deal at the time, but you could be dealing with some nasty consequences later on.

15 "Hey, make a wish... and blow loads of germs!"

BIRTHDAYS: THE ONE TIME IT'S SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE TO SPIT ON FOOD. A study found that blowing out birthday candles increases the amount of bacteria on the cake frosting by 14 times. While this may not be a big health concern, it's still gross to think about all the saliva on your slice of cake. CRACKED — *Pressmaster/Shutterstock*
*The Atlantic*

14 It seems like we just can’t stop ourselves from making playgrounds into germ factories.

IF YOU WANT TO GET YOUR CHILD SICK, THE PLAYGROUND IS THE PLACE TO BE. The average playground is crawling with harmful germs, due to a lack of cleaning and disinfecting. This can lead to skin infections and other illnesses in young children. CRACKED — *FamVeld/Shutterstock*
Consumer Reports

13 We continue to use cash as currency, even though it’s covered in microbes.

CRACKED ONE TES SERVE SYSTEM WE SPREAD DISEASE BY USING DIRTY MONEY. Despite research showing that cash is covered in microbes, we continue to use it without washing our hands first. Bills are exchanged constantly, and can hold pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus. — *Yulia Grigoryeva/Shutterstock*
*Time*

12 Isn’t it ironic that the solution to avoiding dry skin is to use more water?

IF YOU WANT DRY, ITCHY SKIN, LEAVE SOAP ON YOUR BODY AFTER SHOWERING. Leaving soap on your skin can cause dryness, eczema, and contact dermatitis Dermatologists recommend rinsing off all the soap to avoid these effects. CRACKED — *Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock*
Well+Good

11 We’re a nation of dirty soda drinkers, and we just can’t quit.

BACTERIA, MOLD, AND YEAST LOVE SODA JUST AS MUCH AS YOU DO. Bacteria, mold, and yeast were found on 20 different soda cans purchased from stores and vending machines across North Texas. The highest number of germs was found on store shelves and in gas station vending machines. CRACKED — *OlegDoroshin/Shutterstock*
CBS DFW

10 Do you love animals? Hate getting sick? Then a petting farm is probably not the place for you.

A TRIP TO THE PETTING FARM MAY TURN OUT TO BE NOT SO HARMLESS. Despite warnings from leading experts, very young children are still being allowed to touch animals at petting farms and zoos, which can spread E. coli infection. This puts the children's health at risk, as well as the health of other visitors. CRACKED — *Elizaveta Galitckaia/Shutterstock*
*The Guardian*

9 Lending out your headphones is a great way to share bacteria, yeast, and germs with others.

CRACKED SHARING YOUR HEADPHONES IS GROSS. You share more than you think by lending out your headphones, including bacteria, yeast, and germs. Plus, our ears are vulnerable orifices that can easily become infected. — *Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock*
Headphonesty

8 Americans continue to eat food off the ground despite research showing it’s unsanitary.

WE LIKE TO LIVE DANGEROUSLY BY EATING FOOD OFF THE FLOOR. The five-second rule is a myth. Cross contamination from surfaces like tile, wood, and stainless steel happen in less than one second, according to research. If you're not sure whether it's safe to eat something that's fallen on the floor, just throw it out. CRACKED — *New Africa/Shutterstock*
Healthline

7 We just can’t seem to stop ourselves from shoving our bacteria-ridden hands under high-powered air dryers.

CRACKED WE KEEP SPREADING BACTERIA FAR AND WIDE, ONE HAND AT A TIME. High-speed air hand dryers can spread bacteria from poorly washed hands to clothing and surfaces beyond the bathroom, according to one study. The study found that even if hands were washed poorly, drying them using paper towels rather than an air dryer significantly reduced the microbial burden of further contamination. — *Focus and Blur/Shutterstock*
CTV News

6 The vagina: Just leave it alone and hope for the best.

DON'T WORRY, YOUR VAGINA IS PROBABLY CLEANER THAN YOU THINK. Attempts to clean the vagina, whether with harsh soaps or douching, can cause inflammation and alter the vaginal pH. The vulva only needs to be cleaned with warm water and a mild soap; anything else may damage delicate tissue or lead to infection. CRACKED — *Doro Guzenda/Shutterstock*
MedicalNewsToday

5 Though we think rinsing our dishes is helpful, we are actually hindering the cleaning process.

PRE-RINSING YOUR DISHES ISN'T HELPING THEM GET CLEAN. Though we may think rinsing our dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is helpful, we are actually hindering the cleaning process. Dish detergent needs food particles to latch onto in order to do its job, and if there are no particles present, the detergent will simply rinse away. CRACKED — *Leszek Glasner/Shutterstock*
Good Housekeeping

4 "I’m never eating lunch again."

TOILET SEATS ARE CLEANER THAN CAFETERIA TRAYS. NSF International's study found that drinking water fountain spigots had the highest amount of bacteria on the tested surfaces, while a cafeteria tray had over ten times as many germs as a toilet seat. CRACKED — *XiXinXing/Shutterstock*
Cleanfax

3 We love our buffets despite the fact that they’re teeming with germs, because hey, all-you-can-eat.

ALL YOU CAN EAT (AND ALL THE GERMS YOUR STOMACH CAN HANDLE)! Buffets are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, which can cause foodborne illness. To reduce your risk of falling ill, avoid all items at buffets with disengaged management, say no to wilted lettuce and other sorry-looking foods, steer clear of food that's not kept at the proper temperature, and be wary of anything raw. CRACKED — *dotshock/Shutterstock*
Insider

2 Tradition is more important than hygiene (or so we tell ourselves).

APPLE BOBBING: A CENTURIES-OLD TRADITION OF POTENTIAL DISEASE TRANSMISSION. We all know that bobbing for apples is unsanitary, but we do it anyway because it's tradition. Next time you're at an apple- bobbing party, take a minute to think about all the germs swirling around in that water. CRACKED — *Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock*
Bustle

1 You’re probably reading this on your phone right now.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH BACTERIA THEIR PHONE HAS. Phones are covered in germs and bacteria, which can cause sickness. 90% of people bring their phones into the bathroom, which increases the risk of germs spreading. CRACKED — *Ground Picture/Shutterstock*
Thrillist

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