What's the germiest room in your home?

In which room of your home would you expect to find the most germs? The bathroom, right? After all, that's where your toilet bowl is, and that's where you shower and bathe off dirt and grime. Wrong! Believe it or not, a recent study that tested 30 everyday items for bacteria, yeast and mold found that "the germiest room in the house is the kitchen"--the very room where you and your family prepare your meals!  In fact -- according to an article in a recent issue of WebMD, the magazine that's distributed free through doctors' offices nationwide -- "77% of the kitchens, sponges, and dishrags tested positive for coliform, bacteria that can be a sign of fecal contamination." (In case you're not sure what that is, let's just say it's a bacteria that belongs in the toilet bowl rather than in your kitchen!) The kitchen sponge was the number one germiest item, according to the article, "followed by kitchen sinks...and counter tops and cutting boards also harbored nasty bacteria. Still, toothbrush holders do collect their share of germs--often from bacteria that swirl through the air after the toilet is flushed. Bathrooms are the second germiest room in the house, and toothbrush holders are the third germiest item." WebMD offers several tips, including: "Microwave sponges for two minutes every night or use washcloths, which can be washed in hot water and bleach every couple of days. Wipe down skinks daily with a disinfectant cleaner...clean toothbrush holders in the dishwasher or in hot soapy water one to two times a week, and close the toilet lid before flushing."  On the subject of health, here's another good tip that can help you save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a year on the cost of your family's health care. Before you visit the pharmacy to fill a prescription or to purchase any health-related item, visit the website MyRxCoupons.com to see if there is a free money-saving coupon that you can print from your coupon. Then bring the coupon with you to the pharmacy (with the prescription if you have one) and enjoy the savings.