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Guess what can make you sick. Does a picnic table come to mind? What about a computer keyboard?

If those weren’t on your list, you’re not alone. According to a University of Arizona survey, many people don’t realize that germs are on common objects in their homes, outdoors, and— an especially good reminder this time of year — at school. And ofen, these items are “germier” than you might think. A computer keyboard, for example, has more germs than a toilet seat, according to researchers. And, surprisingly, an outdoor portable toilet is generally cleaner than picnic tables, shopping cart handles, and playground equipment.

ecause hand contact is responsible for many infections, better handwashing might help you and your family stay ealthy when touching everyday items. In act, the Centers for Disease Control and revention (CDC) reports that washing our hands is the most important thing ou can do to keep from getting sick. If you don’t wash your hands afer icking up germs, you can easily infect

yourself by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. One of the most common ways you can catch a cold is by rubbing your eyes or nose afer a cold virus has contaminated your hands.

Washing your hands on a regular basis doesn’t just help prevent colds. It can help you avoid other serious health problems, too, such as hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious diarrhea, the CDC reports.

Your mother may have taught you how to wash your hands as a child, but a little refresher never hurts. And you can pass it on to your own children. According to the CDC, to correctly wash your hands, you should:

w Rinse well and dry.

While you’re washing, don’t forget your fngernails, wrists, and the backs of your hands. And remember, if soap andwater aren’t available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.

Soap and water are great, but how do you keep your hands clean when a sink isn’t readily available? A good answer may be alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

These widely available, convenient products quickly kill most bacteria and viruses and do not require water to get hands clean. They are commonly used by caregivers in hospitals and other health institutions, and their use in schools has been associated with reduced absenteeism. And these products may also be very efective in the home. A study, reported in the journal Pediatrics, involved nearly 300 families with children enrolled in day care. About half of the families were given hand sanitizer to use at home as well as hand-hygiene educational materials. The other families received unrelated materials and no sanitizer.

Afer fve months, the researchers found that the spread of gastrointes-tinal illnesses to other family mem-bers was signifcantly lower in those families using hand sanitizer. This doesn’t mean you should forget about handwashing, which is still one of the best ways to reduce the spread of illness.