2. Steering Wheel
Not only are your hands always on
the steering wheel, it's easy to cough and sneeze on it when you're not feeling well. Colds and flu germs as well as more serious, antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA, has been found on automobile steering wheels.
3. Radio Dial
Many radio dials
are made of plastic and have small grooves where bacteria can easily hide. Each time anyone in your car pops a zit or scratches their nose and changes the radio station, they're generously sharing germs with you and everyone else who uses your car.
4. Door Handle
Door handles in your car can contain about as many germs as the ones in your home, if not more. Think of all the things your hands touch before and after you touch your door handles; (not to mention what ends up on the hands of your children).
5. Change Receptacle
The change receptacle in your car is often rife with germs because for one, money is dirty, and two, the natural bowl shape of the receptacle makes the perfect collection plate for food and drink spills, (which can breed some pretty nasty mold).
6. Window Opener
Whether crank or automatic, your window opener gets a lot of use by a lot of hands and could use a little extra attention the next time you clean your car.
7. Seats
You may not touch your car seats very often but they certainly get plenty of use. The spaces between your seats should be vacuumed out carefully as well, as that's where food crumbs and those lost wads of gum tend to hide.
8. Child Car Seats
Child car seats are some pretty downright germy places what with leaking diapers and milk-encrusted cereal squishing between the cracks. Wash it out carefully at least once a month to cut down on the spread of disease-causing bacteria.
9. Seat Belt
Your seat belt is often a hotbed for staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive coccus bacterium that has been linked with atopic dermatitis, cellulitis, pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. If you've ever gotten a rash from your seat belt, this bacterium could be the culprit.
10. Between the Seats
Remember that hair clip you lost a few months ago? It's probably stuffed somewhere between your car seats wrapped up in some hair and dust, stuff alongside a small hunk of moldy bread. (Yuck). Clean between those seats carefully as they love to harbor all sorts
of interesting things!
Clean Your Car the Safe, Natural Way
Despite the fact there is so much bacteria in your car, I highly advise against using harsh chemical
products to clean it, especially ones containing Triclosan. Triclosan is a synthetic antibacterial agent that has been linked to the development of antibiotic-resistant disease.
Instead, use a combination of warm water, white vinegar, and castile soap to clean the interior of your car. Vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, and 82 percent of mold in your vehicle.
The castile soap can cut down on the smell of the vinegar while polishing your surfaces to a shine.
Boost Your Immune System to Avoid Chronic Disease
If you frequently succumb to colds and flu or are
living with any type of autoimmune condition such as diabetes, celiac disease, or psoriasis, it's a good idea to boost your immune system to avoid those stubborn colds and flu.
For my patients, I recommend adding two important supplements:
Vitamin D3 deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the United States. This is largely due to a combination of poor dietary habits, compromised digestion, and lack of natural sunlight. I recommend each of my patients with compromised immunity to boost their vitamin D3 levels naturally with a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement.
