As countries all over the world ease travelling restrictions, more Singaporeans have been planning holidays and business trips to make up for lost time. Even though exploring different places and cultures is always worth jumping for joy, it is equally important to not let your guard down and stay vigilant at all times for a germ and worry-free travel experience.
If you are planning a trip abroad and looking for ways to protect yourself from infectious illnesses or simply to maintain good personal hygiene while travelling, here are some useful tips that will come in handy.
Read on to find out more.
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Wipe down high-touch surfaces on the plane
As the first and last few hours of your trip are spent on the plane, hygiene is of essence to start and end your trip right.
Everything in the plane from the seat trays to seatbelts contains more germs than you think – there are about 2155 bacteria colony-forming units (CFU) per square inch on seat trays, a whopping eight times more than a plane’s toilet flush button!
Hence, It is best to wipe these high-touch surfaces down with an alcohol-based wet wipe once you get to your seat so you can travel with peace of mind. Do not forget the seatbelt buckles, screens, armrests, controls and tray tables.
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Avoid seats near the toilet
Try not to sit near toilets when you are out and about as there tend to be congregations in the area, which makes it easier for germs and virus particles to spread among individuals.
Instead, go for seats in well-ventilated areas as good airflow prevents virus particles from accumulating in one area. Sufficient ventilation, along with other preventive measures like practising social distancing, can help to prevent you from getting sick.
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Use hand sanitisers frequently
Coming into contact with high-touch surfaces such as elevator buttons and escalator handrails is inevitable. Fortunately, you can always reach out for a trusty hand sanitiser to ensure germs are eliminated on the go.
Consider getting an alcohol-free hand sanitiser that has high-performance antimicrobial properties so you can keep your hands germ-free without having to worry about dry skin.
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Place personal belongings in your bag during security checks
When going through security checks at the airport, place personal belongings such as your phone and passport in your bags instead of putting them in the bins provided. This reduces the handling of such items and the spread of germs from the bins to your belongings.
Remember to disinfect your hands with a hand sanitiser after touching the bins too!
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Wear a mask in ride-sharing vehicles
While it is no longer mandatory to mask up while out and about in certain countries, wearing a mask properly (covering your nose, mouth and chin) is still the first line of defence against airborne germs, helping to keep you safe from illnesses. This is especially vital when boarding ride-sharing vehicles as drivers interact with countless passengers on a daily basis and could spread germs to you unknowingly.
This applies to public transportation as well, since you will be sharing the space with hundreds of different people in an enclosed area where germs can spread rapidly.
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Wipe down rental cars
Renting a car overseas empowers safer and more convenient travelling in comparison to taking public transport. However, just because there is less risk of germs and virus particles spreading from one person to another in a rental car, it does not mean you will be completely safe. In reality, steering wheels are 4 times dirtier than toilet seats!
Thus, for greater assurance, always wipe down the interior of your rental car with an alcohol-based wet wipe to disinfect before driving off. Pay special attention to common high-touch surfaces like the steering wheel, seats, handles and buttons.
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Bring body wipes to freshen up
A disinfectant wipe is probably your go-to item to keep your hands and surroundings germ-free but body wipes are essential too, especially if you are travelling to a hot and humid climate.
They are also easy to use when you are in crowded places with poor ventilation; simply whip a piece out to freshen yourself throughout the day and stay sweat-free.
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Bring along essentials
Writing down a list of essentials and referring to it while packing helps to ensure that nothing important is forgotten. For instance, medications for common ailments such as headache, nausea, diarrhoea, fever and runny nose are some of the must-haves for unforeseen situations.
Other necessary personal hygiene items include extra face masks, hand sanitisers, disinfectant wipes and tissues. These will keep you safe from germs as much as possible, allowing you to enjoy your holiday to the fullest.
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Use food contact wipes on cutlery
If you feel apprehensive about using restaurant cutlery, bring along food contact wipes that you can use on plates, knives, forks and spoons for greater assurance of cleanliness and hygiene.
They are made with 100% food-grade ingredients that are safe so you can eliminate germs and bacteria on the go, even without the use of soap and water.
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Disinfect your luggage before heading home
Lastly, remember to disinfect your luggage after landing to avoid bringing germs home.
A quick and easy way is to use disinfectant wipes that you have brought with you on your trip to wipe every luggage down. Make sure to keep to the ‘one wipe, one surface’ rule, stick to the S-shaped wiping style and take note of contact time for effective disinfection.
Get your personal hygiene needs from Freshening Professional
Travelling becomes less stressful when you are equipped with all the personal hygiene necessities required to keep yourself safe.
Get your hand sanitisers, alcohol-based wet wipes and disinfectant wipes on the Freshening Professional website seamlessly before you embark on your next adventure!