Two years ago I was so sick with the flu that it has gone down as my worst Christmas ever. It wasn't just me either, there were lots of family members all together for the holidays and easily half of them ended up sick. Being sick is never fun, but being sick on the holidays is even worse. You end up missing out on things you literally waited a year to do.
And after dealing with all 5 kids getting H1N1 last month, I am all the more interested in reducing the chance of everyone spreading germs around. Some suggestions I have would include keeping hand sanitizer at the ready, utilizing disposable towels in the guest bathroom and disposable napkins in the dining room, serving foods with individual portions (try placing dips in individual dixie cups to avoid double dipper issues), and utilizing toothpicks when possible to keep fingers at bay.
Another suggestion I have is this great soap dispenser I was sent for review by simplehuman. It is truly a "must have" item for the guest bath and kitchen since no touching is required to dispense the soap.
Instead it relies on infrared sensor technology to dispense soap quickly and easily. Simply place your hand underneath the spout to automatically dispense soap. The entire process is touch-free, preventing cross-contamination from dirty or wet hands during daily use.
Because scrubbing for at least 20 seconds is recommended for germ-free hands, the sensor soap pump has an optional built-in timer. After soap is dispensed, a light blinks for 20 seconds to encourage the user to lather for the full recommended amount of time. This feature can be turned on or off by the user and the amount of soap dispensed can also be adjusted.
The sensor soap pump has a clear soap chamber so it’s easy to see the soap level and a twist-off lid for easy refills. The top of the soap pump is chrome-plated for a rustproof finish, and a stainless steel backsplash provides added durability. The simplehuman pump is available in black, white, or brushed nickel.
I really liked the way this pump looked and the way it worked. It was easy to fill, easy to add the batteries needed, and has worked like a charm. The kids love the little timer light. I love the fact I'm not touching something with germs all over while trying to rid myself of germs. My husband was quite impressed with this pump's concept and with the way it works too. In fact, he is actually planning to outfit his office bathrooms with a few.
You might know the simplehuman name best from their line of trash cans. In fact if you are in the market for a trash can, I have a coupon for you. Receive 15% off any fingerprint-proof trash can at simplehuman.com from December 7-14. Enter code SB125 at checkout.