Germ-free shopping: How to stay healthy at the mall

>>> this morning in "today's health," the hidden germs lurking at the mall. here with the dirty truth, our ""today"" contributor and managing editor of "health" magazine. let's start first with the obvious place in the mall, the bathroom.

>> long day of shopping, everybody needs to take a little pit stop but the bathrooms can be very germy. you think about the toilet but it's actually the sink which is the worst part for germs because everybody is touching them after they use the bathroom. a lot of bacteria, e. coli , staph, you really want to make sure you rinse and scrub very well for 20 seconds and dry off. use a paper towel and use that same paper towel to turn off the faucet and go out the door. don't want to reinfect your hands.

>> and carry these around with you as well.

>> wipe down with a hand sanitizer with alcohol.

>> good to carry them with you as well.

>> the food court , obviously people need to go eat and load up as well, but there are lots of hidden germs there well.

>> an if you see somebody wiping down the table, that rag that they are using has a lot of germs in it. don't put any loose food on the table or on the tray. keep it on a napkin.

>> okay.

>> and if you have your wipes with you, hopefully you do.

>> wipe the surfaces down before you sit down.

>> okay. the atms, everybody is hitting up the cash machine this time of year, and lots of fingers on the buttons, even the money you're getting out of that cash machine is not clean.

>> money is very dirton, especially the enter button. everybody has to press that button so use your knuckle instead of the tip of your finger. why? because we're less likely to use our knuckle to scratch our face or eye. don't want the germs on your face touching your face. as soon as you're done with the atm try to wash or wipe.

>> important timing because we're approaching cold and flu season .

>> the mall has so many people coming in and out, many sick. that's why you have to be especially careful.

>> a lot of people will be hitting the toy stores .

>> of course.

>> and this is a place, too, where kids are putting their hands on everything.

>> everything.

>> germy hands less.

>> especially those toys where it says, you know, pull here, press here, touch there. kids love to do that.

>> put these in your mouth.

>> kids lick it and put it in their mouth and kids are sick during this time. teach your children look but don't touch but if they do touch wipe the hands with a hand sanitizer and if there's any exposed part, try to wipe it down before you give it to your kid.

>> let's move on over to the changing rooms. a lot of people wouldn't think there's surfaces you're touching but things to be aware of.

>> really the clothes that you're actually trying on. other people have tried them off before, dead skin cells which bacteria love toified on are there, always keep your underwear on trying bathing suits and pants.

>> exactly.

>> concerned about germs, rinse off the clothes, wash them when you get them home because other people may have tried them on before.

>> and if you're buying technologies this holiday season and you're trying it out at the gadget store.

>> toy store for the adults.

>> your hands are all over the screen.

>> checking everything out, people touching it with their fingers, fingers are the worst and if you buy something wipe it at home with a han sanitizer.

>> and here at the makeup counter.

>> really hard to buy makeup without trying it.

>> want to make sure you're getting what you buy.

>> right colors, everything.

>> but this is something where you don't want any of this touching your happened, your nose, your eyes, your lips. try a color, try it on the back of your hand. a lot of makeup cops give you disposable try-on samples and you can return it, believe it or not, after you've tried it. don't want to get an eye infection, staph infection of your kin, not worth it.