Look Out! There's Germs Everywhere!

~ Posted on Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 9:23 AM ~

Everytime we go out to any food shops or restaurant, the following routines will ensue:

1. Hubby carry Ben

2. Secure a baby high chair for Ben

3. I took out baby wipes from my diaper bag

4. Start wiping every nook and corner of the high chair - front, sides, seat, legs

5. Took out another baby wipes and start wiping the table area right in front of the high chair (in case Ben decided to smack and swipe the table with his hands)

The above also applies to shopping carts, chairs, paed clinic and whatever that we are placing Ben in. I used to do that even to those machine kiddy rides that we're going to put Ben on/in!

Of course I do worry about the germs at other places such as when we are at Sunday church service and Ben is playing with the toys in the baby's room...

I sometimes wonder whether baby wipes are clean enough... and whether we missed out wiping anything else?

Maybe it's just us who are paranoid with all these germs... or do you do the same too?

If yes, mind sharing what are the things you clean up as well before getting your child to touch it? (so that I can take note to do that next time too!)

(*Note: I previously wrote a similar topic in one of my previous posts from my old blog. Feel free to read my old post on "Eeekk... Germs!" if you like.)

Comments (8) -

Colleen

I do wipe down tables in restaurants, but it isn't because of germs.  It is because of allergies!  If another child has a confetti party with crackers and the table isn't wiped down he can have a reaction.  If another person lets their soy sauce drip on the table and it isn't cleaned up well, B could have a reaction.  I don't worry so much about shopping carts, door knobs and the like.  I think it helps to keep his immune system healthy to be exposed to germs.  It is pretty much inevitable anyway!  We are avid hand washers, after meals and trips to the potty especially, but I just don't see the need to slather my kid in antibacterial hand sanitizer every time he touches something....My kid is not Patient Zero.  I say go outside, play in the dirt, and stay healthy!  

You may find this interesting... green.yahoo.com/.../...e-systems-through-dirt.html

Colleen

Also wanted to note that I wipe down tables with a cotton cloth wipe what is moistened with water, not commercial babywipes.

I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Colleen!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience! Actually I read an article saying shopping carts are one of the worst germs area! Because of that article, I wiped the carts too! Seat, handle, the side rails, front rails, etc etc..

Catheryn  @ Pink Bibs

Jenny,
I do the same as you too.  There is a brand of babywipes with alcohol which I use only to wipe those stuffs you mention (restaurants' highchair & shopping cart handles), I was about to blog about this soon but never mind, I share this with you first.  At home, I clean Isabelle's highchair and tray but I use diluted vinegar & once a while, Dettol solution.  The alcohol babywipes are pricey so I spare them so I have enough supplies to use during outing.  Besides, we are trying to cut down on using too much of commercial wipes (going green gradually).

Our handphones, housephone, notebook keyboard are actually dirty too.  So well, yeah, every now & then I do give them a good wipe.

Better be a freak than be sorry. Smile

I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Catheryn!
Thanks for sharing your feedback!

Jenn

I don't wipe down stuff, especially not with commercial baby wipes (the preservatives alone in those things makes me worry.)  We just teach our kids about handwashing, and in a pinch will use the hand sanitizer lotions.  Of course there's only so much you can do because no matter how much I try to teach  my kids they all eat a handful of sand at the beach anyway!

Here from boost my blog, happy weekending!

I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Jenn!
Thank you so much for your feedback. I'm getting concerned reading all this baby wipes thing. Those that I use doesn't have alcohol and it's actually labeled as 'Wet Tissue'. I'm going to find out more on this preservatives that you are talking about. Thanks for highlighting btw!

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com

At home, we use cloth wipes with water. Most commercial wipes contain "parabens" as preservatives, which I have eliminated from all our personal care products.

I only like toys that are washable. Every once in a while, I throw soft toys & books into the washing machine and dry them under the sun, to keep them dust-mites free. Plastic toys get washed when I think they are dirty.

New toys are usually washed or wiped clean before playing, since they travelled from the factory and have been displayed for God-knows-how-long.

Outside, I wipe the highchair & table top clean with a disposable wipe, to avoid bringing those germs home. We also use the Kiddopotamus portable placemat to lay on top of the table, so Vee gets a clean surface to finger-feed himself.

When going to "older" eateries, we bring our portable booster seat.

Regular handwashing and wiping is important, especially before meals.

Otherwise, exposure to a certain degree of germs does help build the immune system.

We are more anal over harmful chemical exposure (e.g. from disposable diapers) than germs.

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