Oh, you thought you could just lather up with that tap water? Nope. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Or boiled water that has cooled down. Tap water straight from the faucet is a no-go—you’re basically inviting whatever microbes are partying in the pipes to a dental rave in your mouth.
Even rinsing your toothbrush under the tap is a gamble. Use bottled water to rinse. And if you’re feeling fancy, wipe your toothbrush with a little alcohol wipe. You’re not being paranoid; you’re being hygienically clever.
Washing Your Hands: The Grace Slippery Area
Here’s where it gets a bit sticky. You can wash your hands with tap water, but you must use soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds. The soap is the hero here—it helps rip germs off your skin. Then dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel.
Can You Take A Shower On A Boil Water Notice at Jewel Jones blog
But if you’re about to eat, or if you have a cut on your hand, use boiled or bottled water. The army of bacteria in untreated tap water would love to find a tiny crack in your defenses. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
And here’s a weird fact: hand sanitizer isn’t a perfect replacement. It kills germs, but it doesn’t remove dirt or stuff like Cryptosporidium (a nasty parasite). So, if your hands are visibly dirty, grab that bottled water.
