Stop the dis-purse-ment of bag-teria

Once a month I receive a local magazine publication that features local advertisements and other articles about Las Vegas. I usually put these publications in the trash but for some reason yesterday, I decided to take a break and breeze through the magazine. While passing time, there was an article that caught my eye and I wanted to share it because I made me realize that there are somethings that go unnoticed everyday.

I know of an old wives tale that putting your purse on the floor was a sign of bad luck and now I know that it is not just a saying, but is pretty much a true fact. As all caring mothers, we make it a priority to keep my home and my work area clean since there are so many people that are sick during this time of year. But I never thought in a million years that the one thing that I take with me everyday can be the very thing that could be carrying germs everywhere and could make me  and others sick where ever I go.

Did you know that your hand bag can be a carrier of all kinds of germs? It is not the contents that are in your bag that is a concern (depending on what you are carrying) but what is growing on the outside. This is also for any type of hand bag that you carry, whether it be a backpack, brief case or even a lunch box. The outside of the “bag” can be a place for germ growth and germ transfer. These germs can come from anywhere you place your bag; from pacing it on the floor of your favorite restaurant to the public bathroom counter while washing your hands.

There was a microbiologist on Good Morning America by the name of Chuck Gurba from the University of Arizona a couple of years ago that did a study and tested women’s purses and had this to say about them; “We found fecal bacteria you normally find on the floor of restroom,” he said. “We found bacteria that can cause skin infections on the bottom of purses….” . He found that the bottom of women’s purses had tens of thousands of all kinds of bacteria and and viruses. Some examples he found in his experiment showed that e.coli, staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, and even hepatitis were just a few forms of germs that purses can carry. Now that is just disgusting. This caused me to think of all the places that I place my purse. It makes me a bit sick to my stomach just thinking about it. What you don’t know can make you sick or even kill you. I know that I am guilty of putting my purse down at my feet at a restaurant and at the same time will go home and place it on my kitchen counter.

Now the question:What is the way protect yourself? You want to make sure that if you have a leather or vinyl purse is to disinfect it regularly with wipes or even spray. If you have a cloth purse, have it dry cleaned or even if you got a cheap one purchase a new one. (Hey, that is a wonderful excuse to go shop for another purse But seriously, when you go to a restaurant, place it in your lap or on the chair that you are sitting on. Make sure at home to place it in a high place for example like at the top of  your closet.

Go to this site below and if you want to get to know a little more about “purse germs” and how to protect yourself and others from sickness and disease. http://www.sixwise.com/.