5 Things i learned from glo germ

I experimented with a product called Glo Germ. It's applied to your hands (or any other surface) and shows anything you've touched under blacklight. You'd think a public health professional washes her hands properly and avoids touching her face. You'd be wrong.

the experiment

  1. Apply Glo Germ powder to hands.

  2. Refrain from touching face for 30 minutes.

  3. Wash hands thoroughly.

  4. Investigate with blacklight.

the findings

  1. It's nearly impossible to stop touching your face for 30 minutes. While you may remember to use the back of your hand, you're still going to touch your face. Since you've read this, you've likely already touched your face. Twice. Sanitize/wash your hands more often than you think you should!

  2. You have germs on your laptop. Unless you sanitize each time before typing something, you've got germs all over it. Refrain from soaking your keyboard in hand sanitizer, it will likely not qualify for your replacement insurance.

  3. You cannot trust your coffee mug. Humans mindlessly fidget with their beverage containers (or other desk dwelling artifacts) while they ponder over things. You will likely have germs on at least one nook or cranny of your mug. Fully sanitize it daily.

  4. Singing at the sink isn't enough to ensure cleanliness. I'm sure your cat appreciates the soulful rendition of twinkle twinkle little star. But duration isn't everything. Places I missed when washing my hands:

        1. Up my wrists and under my watch

        2. Under my rings

        3. Around my fingernails

  5. Viral particles are sneaky. I applied the glo germ to my hands, not my body. When the blacklight turned on, I could see the tiny flecks of glo germ all over my sweater, arms, and hair. Aerosolized particles can float in the air, land on your body and make their way into your mouth by mindless face touching. Don't touch your face. Just don't.

curious about glo germ?

Glo Germ is a liquid, gel or powder that contains plastic simulated germs, and a UV lamp illuminates them to test the effectiveness of sanitation practices. Hands and surfaces appear clean. However, ultra-violet light indicates the presence of simulated germs.

Clients of Edify can look forward to receiving one of our Glow2Know kits soon, which includes Glo Germ powder and a UV light, among other resources.

If you aren't a client of Edify and would like to purchase Glo Germ, check out their website directly.

To be crystal clear, Edify is not affiliated with Glo Germ in any way. We just think the product is freaking awesome and would like to promote a simple/easy resource to the world!