Malls Are Popular With Holiday Shoppers And Germs

As you do last-minute holiday shopping at the mall, be aware that humans are not the only ones hanging out there. Germs find malls very attractive and are out in full force this time of year. Mall shoppers are exposed to staph, E. coli, flu viruses, and many other germs. One source recently revealed where germs are most often found within malls. Think twice before visiting these areas and engage in proper sanitizing routines if contact is made.

When hunger strikes, dining at a mall food court table may be unwise. Just because the surface has been wiped down by janitorial services staff does not mean it is clean. Healthcare professionals note that rags that are not regularly changed or washed may spread E. coli and other harmful bacteria. Enjoy food while window shopping or go outside for al fresco dining.

When traveling between floors of the mall, people usually do not think about picking up germs. Testing reveals that escalator handrails contain blood, mucus, E. coli, food, urine, and even feces. Where mucus exists, cold and flu viruses often gather. Shoppers coughing into their hands and then touching an escalator handrail may leave respiratory flora for other people. Janitorial services personnel should regularly sanitize handrails on escalators and stairways.

Experts report that sinks are the dirtiest spots within a restroom. People touch the sink handles and faucet after using a toilet, causing these areas to harbor bacteria like E. coli. Refillable soap dispensers are also germy, with public bathroom testing revealing that the bacterial levels on one in four were unsafe. To deal with these issues, many malls now feature touchless soap dispensers, sinks, and hand drying stations.

Cleaning services can address many of these issues but there is not much they can do about fitting room-related germs. The reason is because the germs are on the clothing, not the fitting room hooks or chairs. Perspiration and skin cells may accumulate inside clothing that shoppers try on in fitting rooms, serving as nourishment for bacterial growth. Shoppers can pick up MRSA and other bacteria simply by trying on clothing.

Parents know that mall play areas are germy but toy stores are sometimes germier. Children rub toys on their bodies and sometimes even lick them. Adult play areas are not much better, with germs being transferred from glass surfaces on technological gadgets to shopper fingertips. Cleaning services must exercise care when wiping down these components, to avoid damaging them.