Germs Control Guide: How to Protect Yourself Against Diseases & Infection

In the oldest and broadest sense, a pathogen is a microorganism - meaning it can only be seen under a microscope, that can cause a disease or bacterial or viral infection. However,  pathogens may also be called infectious agents or germs. 

Germs can be classified into four main categories: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. While many germs are as harmless as the ones living in our stomach, which helps with the digestive system, most are harmful and can make you severely sick. 

Since germs are everywhere and can survive on surfaces for up to a week, although they lose effectiveness after the first 24 hours, effective germ control is important to avoid infectious diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, coronavirus, conjunctivitis, etc.

This article will help you understand how effective germs control practices, such as knowing how to wash your hands, deep cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing objects with Dettol Disinfectant Surface Cleaners, etc., help reduce the risk of infection. 

Infection vs. disease 

Infection occurs when germs, viruses, or bacteria enter your body and begin to multiply. In response to the infection, your body will develop antibodies after recognizing the antigens on its surface to fight and destroy the pathogen.

Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged  — as a result of the infection — and signs and symptoms of an illness appear. The body reacts in three primary ways to defend itself against the disease, including physical and chemical barriers, non-specific innate responses, and specific adaptive responses.

Types of germs

There are four main types of germs: 

1. Viruses

Viruses are smaller than bacteria and are genetic material (DNA or RNA) packaged inside a protein capsule. They must invade and hijack an active host to continue their growth, eventually destroying the host cells. 

They are responsible for many diseases in plants, animals, and humans, such as AIDs, measles, genital herpes, chickenpox, ebola, cold & flu. 

2. Bacteria 

Bacteria are single-celled organisms found almost everywhere on Earth. They are crucial to the planet’s ecosystem and extract nutrients from their environment. 

They can cause diseases such as salmonella, tuberculosis, E. coli, skin infections, urinary tract infections (UTIs), chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

3. Fungi

Fungi are multi-celled plant-like organisms that extract nutrients from animals and plants like bacteria. They prefer damp, warm places to exist and grow; while many aren’t harmful to humans, some can cause allergic reactions and infections. 

Some fungi infections include athlete's foot, esophageal candidiasis, candidal intertrigo, and yeast infections. 

Mold and mildew, a common type of fungi present in our homes, are also a result of mold spores that settle onto surfaces with sufficient moisture. 

This fungus usually thrives in bathrooms, kitchens, and garages; in some cases, it can cause allergic reactions or infections. Dettol Mould & Mildew Remover Spray helps remove all mold and mildew, kills germs up to 99.9%, and brightens surfaces with long-lasting fragrance.

4. Protozoa

Like bacteria, protozoa are also single-celled organisms that exhibit behavior similar to animals — hunting and gathering other microbes for food.

Most protozoa spend part of their life cycles outside humans or other hosts, living in food, soil, water, or insects. Meanwhile, some protozoa invade your body through contaminated food or drink and can cause diseases such as food poisoning, malaria, giardiasis, and Toxoplasmosis.

How do germs spread? 

Germs can spread in many ways, including: 

• Direct contact, through kissing, hugging, or sharing cups or items with a person with the germs
• Touching the faces (poop) of someone with germs, such as changing diapers, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Touching objects and surfaces with germs, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Inhaling air after someone who has germs talks, coughs, or sneezes
• Contaminated soil, plants, food or water
• Animal and insect bites

Germs control guidelines

You can protect yourself and your loved ones by following the hygiene practices below.

Wash your hands

Contaminated hands are one of the most common ways for diseases to spread. To prevent this from happening, make sure you wash your hands more often using these steps for an effective hand-washing experience. 

In addition to knowing how to wash your hands, using Antibacterial Soap or Liquid Hand Wash is equally important while cleansing your hands. 

You should scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds to reduce the risk of germs spreading and must wash your hands: 

• Before, during, and after preparing and eating food
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• After using the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats

Cover your mouth

When you cough or sneeze without covering your mouth, germs can land on another person, object, or surface via respiratory droplets, leading to various respiratory infections. Always cover your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing with tissue or crevice of your elbow. 

It's a simple yet effective way to contain these droplets, reducing the risk of transmitting respiratory illnesses like influenza, pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD).

Always wash your hands after coughing or sneezing. If Antibacterial soap or liquid hand wash is unavailable, you can turn to dermatologist-tested Hand Sanitizer, which kills 99.9% of germs and offers on-the-go protection. 

Clean and disinfect surfaces 

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in your home, office, school, or anywhere helps reduce the number of germs and lower the risk of spreading disease.

Follow these tips to clean different surfaces safely:

For hard surfaces, such as counters, sinks, toilet bowls, doorknobs and handles, tables, certain toys, light switches, and floors:

Clean surfaces with soap and water or with cleaning products appropriate for use on the surface.

To clean and disinfect every kitchen hygiene hotspot, including the most overlooked spots, make sure you use Dettol Mult Purpose Kitchen Cleaner, which promises to cut through grease and food stains, remove 99.9% of germs, brighten surfaces, and leave a lasting fragrance.

Similarly, clean your bathroom hygiene hotspots, including the toilet, sink, and other surfaces, with Dettol Bathroom Power Cleaner to remove tough germs, stains, and soap scum.

For soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, and drapes:

Vacuum the soft surfaces to dispose of the dirt, dust, and other impurities safely. After that, launder items (if possible) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

For electronics, such as phones, tablets, touch screens, keyboards, and remote controls:

Spray Dettol Disinfectant Spray on a microfibre fabric to dampen and wipe the electronic devices. Use cotton swabs to clean the crevices and edges of these gadgets to make them germ and dust-free.

FAQs

What is the basic treatment to avoid germs?

Good hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing, covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing, and maintaining cleanliness in your surroundings are the best ways to avoid germs and prevent infections.

How can you prevent germs from spreading to food?

Always wash your hands before preparing, eating, and cleaning up the food preparation area. Moreover, refrigerating and freezing the food item prevents germs and bacteria from growing. If heated sufficiently, germs, viruses, and most bacteria are eliminated.

What is the role of vaccines in controlling germs?

Vaccines help strengthen the body's immune system, making it partially or fully resistant to specific germs and infectious diseases, but the protection is never perfect.