Why Is Sneezing Into Your Elbow Better Than Your Hand?

Whether it’s from allergies, an illness or just catching a whiff of black pepper, we all sneeze from time to time. When the sudden urge to sneeze comes on, we’re taught to cover our mouths and noses to prevent the spread of germs. Though covering up is essential, studies show that sneezing into your elbow is the way to go. Keep reading to learn why sneezing into your elbow in Colorado is preferable over sneezing into your hand or out in the open.

Elbows block droplets and gas

Researchers at MIT captured over 100 high-speed videos of people sneezing to see if there’s a pattern among all of the sneezes and to track the fluid spread. The results were shocking and scary. Not only did the videos show how far nasal fluids can fly, but they also showed that sneezes contain clouds of bacteria that can spread 200 times farther than the droplets themselves. An elbow is much better than a hand at blocking both the droplets and the gas from spreading across a room.

Elbows prevent germ spread

Sneezing into hands in Colorado can help block the droplets and gas mentioned above, but the bacteria problem persists after the sneeze has passed. Unless sneezers wash their hands, the germs continue to live on and get passed to all sorts of different surfaces. What’s worse is that some of these germs can live out in the open for up to 24 hours! Who knows how many people will come into contact with those nasty germs hours after the initial sneeze? If the sneeze is contained in the elbow, though, there’s a very small chance that germs will be passed on to door handles and different surfaces.

Other ways to stay healthy

Sneezing into your elbow is a good way to keep everyone around you healthy. However, it’s not the only thing you can do. Follow this advice to reduce the spread of diseases:

• Wash your hands: Now more than ever, it’s important that we’re all washing our hands regularly throughout the day. Make a habit of washing your hands with hot water for at least 20 seconds to kill any germs living on your skin. Consider washing them for even longer after sneezing into your hands in Colorado.
• Clean your hardware: Door knobs and faucet handles are among the dirtiest surfaces in a home or office. With dozens of people touching them every day, who knows what types of germs might be living on them? Be sure to disinfect the hardware to eliminate any harmful bacteria.
• Upgrade when necessary: If your door hardware is particularly old, it may be time to consider upgrading it. Opt for hardware with high copper content, as copper has been proven to reduce the spread of bacteria on the handles.

Be sure to practice sneezing into your elbow in Colorado, and wash your hands frequently. If you’re in the need for new knobs, handles or levers, be sure to shop at Custom Door Hardware. We only carry hardware manufactured by the top brands in the industry! Give us a call today to learn more about our services and products.

Categorised in: DIY