Germy Hot spots!

Sniff. Cough. Ah-choo! Another day wasted cos you're sick? From your toothbrush to the boyfriend's lips, you'd be surprised where bacteria like to hang out.

1.The toilet (Bacteria alert: Low)

Yes, there are plenty of bacteria in, on, and around toilets (mostly faecal bacteria such as E.coli). In fact some public toilets that are cleaned daily may be cleaner than ours at home! But the likelihood of you falling sick from any commode? Slim to almost none. As long as you wash your hands, those bugs won't make their way into your mouth and digestive tract, where they could cause diarrhoea. The germiest part of a toilet? It's the underside of the seat, which gets splashed with toilet water each time you flush. so if the seat is up, use tissue to put it down.

2.Your shower (Bacteria alert: High)

That pinkish slime that forms on your bathroom walls, tub or shower curtains is serratia marcescens, the germ that can cause UTI or pinkeye if it gets to your urethra or eyes when you're taking a bath/shower! To prevent this disgusting film from forming, scrub your bathroom surfaces once a week. If you notice telltale signs of pink slime on your shower stall or shower curtain, do replace them - stat!

3. Money (Bacteria alert: Medium)

Over 50 million bacteria cells including E.coli and Staph often lurk on money, but they won't make sick.

4.Your mobile phone (Bacteria alert: Low)

The average mobile phone is crawling with 300 more times germs than a public toilet seat, according to a survey conducted by a Dial-a-phone (a UK-based mobile phone shop)! The irradiated heat of mobile phone's interior make bacteria flourish, and what's worse , there are kept in warm areas such as your bags and pockets. Mobile phones contain the most skin bacteria, and since most of the bugs are yours, they can't really hurt you. Just wash your hands if you've used someone else mobile phone.

5. Your toothbrush (Bacteria alert: High)

Microscopic droplets of moisture can fly up to a whopping 20 feet when you flush, so whatever that's in your toilet bowl can eventually land on the fine bristles on your toothbrush. Eeuw! Keep your toothbrush head in a plastic cap that you can buy from the pharmacy or inside the bathroom cabinet.To kill off many germs, let your toothbrush dry out in between uses.