Editor 's note : upwave is Turner Broadcasting 's new lifestyle brand designed to entertain the health into you ! Visit upwave.com for more information and follow upwave on Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , Pinterest and Instagram @ upwaveofficial . ( upwave.com ) -- Even if you 're one of the many people who believe that exposing yourself to day-to-day germs is healthy for your immune system , it 's still wise to take steps to protect yourself from the most infectious germs in your home . `` Bugs like Escherichia coli ( E.coli ) , salmonella and campylobacter can make you pretty sick or even kill you , '' says Douglas Powell , professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University in Manhattan , Kansas , and author of Barfblog.com . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that seven pathogens cause about 90 % of these illnesses , hospitalizations and deaths . Scientists dub them `` food-borne illnesses '' because they 're microbes that invade your body through the gastrointestinal tract . ( Considering that we put our hands to our faces anywhere from 18 to 40 times per hour , is it any surprise that our mouths are the primary point of entry ? ) You 'll recognize the poisoning by the fever , nausea , vomiting and diarrhea that results . Luckily , it is n't too hard to eliminate the dangerous microbes you may unknowingly drag into your home . `` Chlorine bleach is your friend , '' says Powell , referring to one of the most effective toxin-destroying products around . upwave : Is hand sanitizer toxic ? Rooting out the microbes ' whereabouts , on the other hand , can be trickier . Read on , and you 'll learn how to eliminate from your home the microbes and toxins that could affect your family 's health . Good : Rearrange your fridge to reduce your risk . You do n't have to travel to Latin America to experience a case of Montezuma 's Revenge . Each year , one in six Americans contracts food poisoning right here on U.S. soil , according to the CDC . In fact , a mere trip to your refrigerator could put you at risk . `` The raw meat you bring home from the grocery store has bacteria that can result in diarrheal disease , '' says Dr. Rose Devasia , assistant professor at University of Louisville School of Public Health And Information Sciences in Louisville , Kentucky . A recent report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest listed ground beef , chicken , turkey and steak as the most susceptible to disease . Devasia recommends double-bagging the meats or placing them on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator on a plate , away from the likes of the apples , strawberries or celery you 'll eat cold . `` You 'll go on to cook your meat to kill these microbes , '' she says , `` but you do n't want that slimy liquid from the package to spill onto the fruits and vegetables you eat raw . '' upwave : Old-school cleaning with kitchen faves . Better : Place toothbrushes far away from the john . You would n't lick your toilet on purpose . Yet leaving a damp , exposed toothbrush within three feet of the loo is n't much better . `` Studies have shown that bacteria in the toilet can disperse in the air after flushing it , '' says Devasia . `` Toilet water -- along with whatever you 've deposited in it -- gets aerosolized and lands onto what 's nearby , like a toothbrush or hand towel . '' A recent University of Manchester study found that the average toothbrush contained about 10 million germs , including E. coli and staphylococci . An easy fix : Put the lid down on the toilet before you yank the lever to dispose of the contents . Adds Devasia : `` We all know the bathroom is not the cleanest place , so wash your hands to avoid getting yourself sick . '' Soaping up at the sink can reduce your chance of getting ill by 30 % . upwave : Make your morning routine less crazy . Best : Leave your shoes at the front door . Sleeping with the enemy may only be a closet door away . If you walk through your house with your shoes on , you may be dragging in all kinds of nasty germs and chemicals from the great outdoors . The bottoms of your shoes spread many unhealthy agents , from pollen and pesticides on the lawn to salmonella in bird poop . In fact , as many as nine different kinds of pathogens can thrive on shoes , according to a University of Arizona study . Microbes can survive and even multiply because of nutrient-rich soil and other deposits left on the soles . `` In my house , we take our shoes off when we enter , '' says Devasia . `` Why drag in a bunch of dirt and dust ? Even if you clean floors and carpets regularly , there is some level of dirt that remains . '' upwave : How to find the perfect running shoe . And if the idea of shoe removal cramps your family 's style ? Tell them it is a lot better than the alternative types of cramps -- the ones brought on by intestinal distress . This article was originally published on upwave.com . & COPY ; 2013 upwave , All Rights Reserved .
E. coli , salmonella and others can make you pretty sick or kill you . Food - borne illnesses are microbes that invade your body through the gastrointestinal tract . Each year , one in six Americans experience food poisoning on U.S. soil .