Exaggerated hygiene: How much hygiene is healthy?

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: How clean is clean enough?

PROF. DR. DIRK BOCKMÜHL: Our immune system is trained through contact with microorganisms. Therefore, it is useful if we let our children play in the dirt. The reverse does not work so easy: Excessive brushing does not automatically make you sick or lead to allergies.

So what's your ultimate hygiene tip? Stay relaxed. It is not about reducing the germ burden to prosperity. Rather, we should accept microorganisms as part of our lives and only then take the necessary hygiene measures where they can be dangerous to us.

And do we need disinfectants and towels for that? ?In the household, normal cleansers are usually sufficient. However, there are special situations in which a little more hygiene is required, such as if someone in the family has a gastrointestinal infection. But even here you do not always have to resort to the chemical leg. When doing the laundry, for example, that's enough 60 degree program with a bleached heavy duty detergent.

The most micro-rich place of an apartment is probably the kitchen

Is there a detergent that you would not want to miss? The dishwasher - it removes germs much better than rinsing by hand.

The Germans are often considered a hygiene fanatic. In your experience, where are we more "grubby"?Although for most people the toilet is the place where hygiene should be a priority, surprisingly many of us do not wash our hands after using the toilet. However, hand hygiene is the most important measure to prevent transmission of infections - not just in the bathroom.

Is the loo the microbial hotspot we hold it for?The most micro-rich place of an apartment is probably the kitchen. For example, dishcloths and sponges can harbor enormous amounts of microorganisms, especially if they do not dry out properly. Here frequent changes are announced, even if not all germs make us sick.

And traveling? Regular hand washing with soap and water is important at the airport or train station. When traveling to more southerly areas, caution should be exercised when it comes to food and, above all, drinking water. In other words: if in doubt, take bottled water to drink and brush your teeth and do without ice cubes.

To avoid garbage, there are more and more returnable cups for the coffee to go. How hygienic are they? ?In comparison to the germ counts that come from an unkempt coffee machine into the hot beverage, a possible microbial entry from an unspushed reusable cup can be neglected. Especially in the fully automatic devices can be found quite a lot of germs, such as when the water in the tank is longer. If the coffee gets hot out of the machine, luckily, most microorganisms will be killed again.

And when does a hygiene researcher and microbiology disgust yourself like you? At the appearance of right-wing populists in the "Tagesschau". I know that was not the point of the question. But while as a microbiologist at some point even a mold can gain a very aesthetic component, this is much more difficult in the minds of some people.

Conclusion: Weakly written knowledge transfer with many practical tips for all who do not want to clean in everyday life more than absolutely necessary.

The hygiene researcher Dirk Bockmühl from the University of Applied Sciences Rhein-Waal in Kleve has written his first book, "Keim Daheim" (288 p., 16.99 euros, Droemer).

Washing instructions for washing your hands and other tips on how to change the number of times you need to change your sheets and what you need to do to wash your towels are available from us.