Wash linens weekly in hot water to avoid staph bacteria. — SuluImages/Getty Images
8. Towels, linens and pet beds
Up to 30 percent of people unknowingly carry staph bacteria on their bodies, and a portion of those carry a drug-resistant and sometimes deadly strain called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), says Reynolds. Don't share hand towels. "We think these are a route of transmission for MRSA," she says. All linens should be washed weekly in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. And don't forget a high-heat cycle in the dryer for the family pet's bed, which is also a hotspot for MRSA.
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