How Do Bacteria Spread? Bacteria can easily pass from one object to another. If you don’t properly treat a contaminated place, bacteria can take over your house and trigger a disease outbreak. But how do bacteria spread? Here are the main spreading routes that you have to prevent by all means.
1. Face parts to hands to people/surfaces
If you are a pathogen carrier, preventing germs from spreading to home or office surfaces is important. The bacteria or virus can pass onto your hands via coughing, sneezing, or touching your eyes. You use your hands to touch people and surfaces every day.
If they are infected, your house or office can soon become a disease epicenter. That’s why, wash your hands every time you touch your nose, mouth, or eyes.
Wash thoroughly, treating every cranny and nook to avoid leaving any bacteria alive. Just a few germs can create numerous populations in just 20 minutes. That’s why always try to keep up with the best practices and recommendations of hand washing.
2. Hands to food
You can infect others not only by touching them. It’s enough to prepare food after using the toilet, sneezing or couching, without washing hands afterward. The germs will pass from the food to the person who eats it.
In this way, a new germ carrier can infect a certain number of new people. There are two main ways to prevent an explosion of infection in your office or house. The most efficient is to isolate yourself from others.
If for objective reasons it’s not possible, you should learn the art of washing hands often. And of course, avoid cooking for others if you suffer from an infection.
3. Food to hands to food
Pathogens can pass from raw food such as meat and vegetables to your hands while prepping the meal. Then, you touch other products, which are germ-free, and contaminate them. The meat and veggies will get rid of germs after you cook them.
However, the products you have to eat raw will stay full of alive bacteria. They will pass into the body of people who enjoy the meal and infect them. To prevent germy meat from contaminating your hands, then other food, wash hands immediately after working with it.
Whether you cut the meat to pieces or remove it from the package, always rush to the bathroom as you finish. The best way to keep contamination at bay though is not to buy infected meat. Avoid attractive discounts and always buy only from reputed meat stores.
4. Animals to hands to others
From pets to hands is also a way how bacteria spread. Pets love to play outside, then get inside the house messy. Since the outside is not so clean, there is a high chance they’ve collected some dirt and bacteria on their paws and fur.
The germs may pass onto your hands while you pet your four-legged friend. Then you touch other people and surfaces, promoting the spreading of the germs. There are some measures you can take to prevent the spreading via this transmission route.
First, you have to wash your hands immediately after playing with your pets. In this way, you kill all germs that have potentially made their way to your skin after contact with the pet.
Also, make a point of washing and bathing your pet after a messy play outside. Clean its paws and body with proper soap to kill all bacteria. By doing this prompt operation, you will not only prevent infection from spreading but will also keep your house clean.
Dog or cat paws can track dust on the carpet, floor, and upholstery. You will need much more time and elbow grease to clean these surfaces. Hence, it’s always better to keep your pets clean.
How Do Bacteria Spread? – Bottom line
There are many ways bacteria spread. However, each of the above-mentioned transmission routes requires a very simple preventive measure. Washing hands after touching the nose, mouth, pets or food is crucial to keeping the bacteria spreading in check.
Do this easy procedure as often as you can, while following the expert recommendations for best results. Avoid rubbing your hands for 5 seconds, as it can keep a part of germs alive. Better wash thoroughly using a generous amount of soap to ensure all bacteria die.