• Home
  • English Lesson Archive
  • Language School Directory
  • Downloads
  • Partners
  • Contact Us

The bacteria time bomb in your home

30 January, 2011

Most of us never give a second thought to how long we’ve had that chopping board, or that hairbrush or those pillows. But while they may all look clean and serviceable enough, these seemingly innocent household items can actually harbour potentially harmful bacteria if used too long, regardless of how often they’re cleaned. So with that in mind let’s look at how often you should consider spring cleaning those everyday household items – and when it’s time to throw them in the bin. Wooden spoons should be replaced every five years. They are more porous than plastic or metal ones making them more susceptible to germs and bacteria. A nasty kitchen bacteria is E. coli that’s usually picked up from raw meat or children with poor cleaning habits! Toothbrushes should be replaced every three months otherwise this could lead to heart disease, a stroke or arthritis. An average toothbrush contains 10m germs! Bath towels can be used indefinitely if washed at high temperatures without damage otherwise bacteria from your skin can be transferred to your towel and if you have a wound could lead to infection.

Category: Living / Bacteria / Household bugs

Download full lesson for FREE

What is NewsFlash English?

NewsFlash English was created by professional English teachers and aims to be the ultimate resource for ESL and TEFL teachers, offering free lesson plans every five days, based on current news stories.

Each lesson plan comes complete with texts and dozens of exercises that you're free to mix and match to suit your group of English learners.

All our lesson plans are free for you to download and print, no registration required!

Top Ten Lessons - This Month

Today | Past 3 Days | This Week | This Month | All Time

  1. Create your own top 20 ‘Bucket list’
  2. Jamie Oliver: We need cookery lessons in schools
  3. Top inventions
  4. 50 things to do outdoors before you are 12
  5. Tablets, gadgets & apps
  6. Social networking in today’s world
  7. A visit to London
  8. Are mobile phones safe for children to use?
  9. Why do we wear blue jeans?
  10. Coffee and chocolate are the key to a long life
  1. Jamie Oliver: We need cookery lessons in schools
  2. Create your own top 20 ‘Bucket list’
  3. Tablets, gadgets & apps
  4. 50 things to do outdoors before you are 12
  5. Top 10 cars sold in April in UK & USA
  6. A visit to London
  7. Social networking in today’s world
  8. The Top 20 UK Advertising Slogans
  9. Why do we wear blue jeans?
  10. Top inventions
  1. Create your own top 20 ‘Bucket list’
  2. Top 10 cars sold in April in UK & USA
  3. Tablets, gadgets & apps
  4. Social networking in today’s world
  5. 50 things to do outdoors before you are 12
  6. Top inventions
  7. A visit to London
  8. Jamie Oliver: We need cookery lessons in schools
  9. The Top 20 UK Advertising Slogans
  10. Cockney cash
  1. Top inventions
  2. 50 things to do outdoors before you are 12
  3. Tablets, gadgets & apps
  4. Create your own top 20 ‘Bucket list’
  5. Why do we wear blue jeans?
  6. The Top 20 UK Advertising Slogans
  7. Social networking in today’s world
  8. A visit to London
  9. Ladies, Mr Perfect does not exist!
  10. The Harry Potter Studio Tour
  1. Social networking in today’s world
  2. Coffee and chocolate are the key to a long life
  3. British Royal Wedding 2011
  4. Modern women today
  5. A visit to London
  6. The origins of the word ‘OK’
  7. The London riots
  8. NFE General Knowledge Quiz - March 2011
  9. Oxford compiles top 10 irritating phrases
  10. The Ongoing Euro Crisis

Learn English in the UK!

Are you or your students interested in learning English in the UK? Check our directory of English schools all over Great Britain and find the one that's right for you!