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When It Comes To Fighting Germs, What Is Sensible/Silly?

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - What's sensible and what's silly when it comes to fighting the germs that can give you colds and the flu?

We found a list of germ-fighting suggestions in an article by Yahoo Health, added to it, and asked Dr. Bruce MacLeod from West Penn Hospital to weigh in on what's reasonable to do.

- Do You Hold Your Breath After Someone Sneezes?

Is that silly?

"No, I think it's kind of sensible," said Dr. MacLeod.

He says when someone sneezes, tiny droplets of germs fly into the air.

"You're just trying to reduce the amount of virus that gets into your upper respiratory system because that's how you get infected," he said.

- Do You Wash Your Hands After Pumping Gas?

Dr. MacLeod says we all should or at least use hand sanitizer, which should be at least 60 percent alcohol.

"This is actually something I learned myself. They've actually done some cultures, and it turns out the pump that you use on for gas is worse than a toilet seat," he said.

- Do You Put Down The Toilet Seat Lid Before You Flush?

"When you flush, there's actually - it kind of billows up," said Dr. MacLeod.

There are tiny droplets we can't see that can land elsewhere in your bathroom. He says if you put the seat lid down, it helps prevent them from coming up.

- Do You Use Paper Towels Or A Dryer To Dry Your Hands In A Public Restroom?

Not that you always have a choice, but if you do, Dr. MacLeod says pick the paper towels.

"What happens to the water that's on your hands that has the bacteria on it?" Dr. MacLeod said "It gets blown all over the place, so it turns out, it may not actually be better for everyone else. You may actually be spreading bacteria to other places.

- Do You Use A Paper Towel On Restroom Door Handles?

While germs may not last for long on these handles, it's certainly true that not everyone washes their hands after using the bathroom.

Dr. MacLeod said a paper towel really can create a barrier between you and any germs.

- Have You Ever Worn A Face Mask To Avoid Germs?

Dr. MacLeod said the trick is to wear the mask the right way. He said you must have a tight fit and that you take a mask off with the straps that go over your ears.

If someone in your home has the flu, a face mask can help prevent you from getting it.

He even said you may want to wear one in public places if the flu is really going around.

"If we're in the throes of it, that's not an unreasonable thing to do," he said.

- Do You Wipe Down Your Cellphone?

"When they've done the culturing of your cellphone, it's actually pretty [gross]," said Dr. MacLeod.

But wait! If you're the only one using your phone, is it really that bad.

"You've probably infected it with your germs, you're right about that, but I don't think you want to recycle them as much as possible," said Dr. MacLeod.

- How Much Time Do You Take To Wash Your Hands?

Experts said you should wash your hands for about 20 seconds. That's the amount of time it takes to hum the Happy Birthday song to yourself twice.

- How Often Do Your Clean Your Purse?

Dr. MacLeod said the problem is purses touch all kinds of surfaces and then get plopped onto kitchen counters or beds. He said cleaning the outside is, "not an unreasonable thing to do."

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