germaphobes
Dread microscopic invaders
Germaphobes are people with an intense fear of germs, bacteria, or contamination.
The fear often manifests as excessive hand-washing, avoidance of public surfaces, or anxiety around illness: My germaphobe roommate won't touch doorknobs without a tissue.
The term is informal—clinical terminology would be mysophobia.
Also spelled germophobes.
Agent that reduces microbes
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
- antibacterialKills or inhibits germs
- soapFatty alkali cleanser
Purell · wipes · scrubbing · sterilize · bleach · gloves · mask · Lysol
Unable to stop oneself
- ritualisticFollowing prescribed ceremony
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- fixationPersistent mental attachment
control · orderliness · perfectionism · overthinking · inflexible · preoccupation · excessive · intrusive
Uncontrollable sudden fear
- worryTroubled mental state
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
apprehension · unease · hypervigilance · paranoia · tension · agitation · trepidation · overwhelm
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusesSubmicroscopic infectious particles
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
disease · contamination · illness · sickness · spreading · outbreak · exposure · transmission
Rotating latching mechanisms
- handrailsBars for gripping while walking
- handshakesMutual palm grips
- buffetsHits again and again
- keyboardsButton grids for input
crowds · hospitals · touch-screens · money · escalators
sanitizer
Agent that reduces microbes
- handwashingCleaning palms with soap
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
- antibacterialKills or inhibits germs
soap · Purell · wipes · scrubbing · sterilize · bleach · gloves · mask · Lysol · Clorox
compulsive
Unable to stop oneself
- ritualisticFollowing prescribed ceremony
- meticulousShowing extreme attention to detail
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
fixation · control · orderliness · perfectionism · overthinking · inflexible · preoccupation · excessive · intrusive · rigidity
panic
Uncontrollable sudden fear
- worryTroubled mental state
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
dread · apprehension · unease · hypervigilance · paranoia · tension · agitation · trepidation · overwhelm · neurosis
bacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- virusesSubmicroscopic infectious particles
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
infection · disease · contamination · illness · sickness · spreading · outbreak · exposure · transmission · dirty
doorknobs
Rotating latching mechanisms
- handrailsBars for gripping while walking
- handshakesMutual palm grips
- buffetsHits again and again
keyboards · crowds · hospitals · touch-screens · money · escalators
- phobesarachnophobes, claustrophobes, agoraphobes, hydrophobes, xenophobes
- neat freaksneat freak, clean freak, perfectionists, perfectionist, tidiers
- anxiety suffererspanic attack sufferers, agoraphobics, worriers, nervous wrecks, neurotics