House Bugs

House bugs attack may be dangerous. it may be a threat to your health as the dirtiest public loo or grubbiest restaurant.

New research suggests even taking a shower can be risky. Scientists discovered nearly one in three showers harbour dangerously high levels of a bug known to cause lung infections.

The tiny bugs - which feed on human blood - often get into the home after being picked up on buses or trains.

Bed

DON'T let the bed bugs bite - but mattresses can contain hundreds of them and well over 10,000 dust mites.

They feed on your blood and dead skin as you sleep. And 20 per cent of the weight of old pillows may be dead skin.

That means even more dust mites, which are a known trigger for asthma and allergies.

BEAT THE BUGS: If you have an infestation get an exterminator in... or shell out for a new mattress. With your pillows, bin ones that are more than a year old or put them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill bugs.

Kitchen surface

THE kitchen is the household hotspot when it comes to food poisoning. Cross contamination - where bugs from uncooked meat end up on raw fruit or veg - is one of the biggest problems.

Raw chicken, for example, can carry a nasty bug called campylobacter that causes sickness and diarrhoea.

BEAT THE BUGS: Use separate chopping boards for meat and veg rather than those with antibacterial coating. They can take several hours to kill bugs.

Carpet

CARPETS have been blamed for a surge in UK asthma cases in the past 40 years.

They are the perfect breeding ground for dust mites - bugs so small they are barely visible but whose droppings are thought to irritate the lining of the airways.

BEAT THE BUGS: Fit a wooden floor. Experts claim doing so can slash the amount of allergens circulating in the air. If you must have carpet, opt for a short pile so it is harder for mites to hide.

Door handle

BACTERIA and viruses can lurk on some surfaces for hours. Door handles are one of the most dangerous sites because they come into contact with skin all the time.

One US study showed 26 per cent of door knobs at home and work carry traces of harmful bacteria.

BEAT THE BUGS: Apply disinfectant to the surface using a paper towel to remove residual dirt. Do it again with another fresh towel to get rid of bugs.

Toilet

THE obvious culprit when looking for hidden hazards in the home. Flushing gets rid of most organisms but some can survive for weeks in a dirty bowl.

Salmonella has been found to live for six weeks in the scaly film that develops on a toilet's porcelain surface.

BEAT THE BUGS: Decontaminate the toilet bowl at least twice a week and scrub regularly to get rid of limescale and scum that might harbour bugs.

Computer

A WHICH? magazine study of 33 computer keyboards showed one was five times dirtier than a toilet seat.

Two others had "warning" levels of bacteria and a further two had elevated levels of coliform, a bug usually spread by hands not being washed after going to the loo.

BEAT THE BUGS: Don't eat at the computer, food can spread bugs. And always wash your hands before sitting down to work or play at the screen.

Dish cloth

PROBABLY one of the most contaminated items in your home. "They are nothing more than a nest of bacteria," warns Prof Pennington.

If cloths are not decontaminated and dried after use, or are left damp for several hours, bacteria grows on the surface.

Bugs get attached to the cloth fibres and even detergent will not decontaminate them.

BEAT THE BUGS: Disinfect cloths after use, soak in boiling water or put in washing machine at 60°C.

Towels

TOWELS and flannels can be a dangerous source of infection because they are often just moist enough to support the growth of populations of bacteria.

Harmful bugs survive for long periods of time on damp towels. Sharing them simply spreads the infection.

BEAT THE BUGS: Always use clean towels and flannels, especially if a family member has a tummy bug.

Source from thesun.co.uk