A number of households items that we touch dozens of times each day could be contributing factors if we start to get sick, an expert has warned.
The changing of the weather into more wintry conditions usually leads to a rise in hospitalisations thanks to flu, with an extra warning for COVID-19 on top of that leading to a lot of us being unwell as we head towards Christmas.
Naturally, most people will want to avoid any sort of illness, using home remedies to try and stave them off.
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But while contact with other people remains a predominant way of catching a cold, there are hundreds of items lurking around our houses that might not be helping at all.
Terry Fisher, of property buying service WeBuyAnyHome, has said bacteria can spawn in the most unlikely places - even on your kitchen sponge.
Mr Fisher said: “Most of us like to think our houses are nice and clean and we do a good job of banishing germs. But the truth is it’s impossible to keep our homes totally free from bacteria and even the most unlikely of everyday items are breeding grounds."
As the Daily Record report, a study in 2016 showed more than 340 different bacteria on some 30 household items - with sponges found to be the most contaminated, with the toothbrush holder in second place.
Terry added: “While the usual cleaning tasks such as mopping floors, cleaning showers and wiping surfaces regularly are fairly obvious, items that are used everyday and perhaps haven’t been disinfected for months or even years can be forgotten.
"Household staples such as remote controls, salt and pepper shakers and door handles are used many times per day and we don’t usually think to disinfect them regularly.
"While it can be a difficult task to keep our homes spick and span and keep germs at bay, knowing some of the worst offenders can be half the battle."
Kitchen sinks, pet bowls and coffee holders were also named in the top five most contaminated household items we touch regularly
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