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I'm with the "let's not flood the world with antibacterials" crowd.
I rarely get a cold; I wash my hands as often as I remember, do volunteer shifts behind the bar in a pub so get sneezed on frequently, and try and remember to take a high-dose Vit D in the winter.

Washing your hands after every task, meal, outing etc.
really makes a big difference and Dettol keeps worktops
etc fairly germ free.

Keep warm and wash your hands regularly

Two things; stop working with children. Since I retired from teaching 3 years ago, I've had 2 colds instead of the 4 ir 5 I used to get each year.

Don't cough or sneeze into your hand. Use a tissue and immediately wash your hands. If that's not possible, then cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm, so the germs don't get on your hands and you can't then pass them on.

Plenty of hand washing and wear gloves where possible. My own grandmother wore fresh cotton gloves whenever she went out and I can't remember her ever having colds or flu.

Keep away from crowded places! Not possible I know so healthy diet, tissues and washing hands.

Same as Grannyknot avoid crowds, stuffy places such as public transport.
Also we always have some Dettol, and it's a good idea to add a few drops to the water when handwashing, especially after seeing to the chickens.
Birdflu still around here.

Flu jab. Hand gel/hand washing. Don't let anyone breathe on you!

All of the above.
I also anti bacterial wipe fridge door handles
I wear gloves when I'm out and about
Supermarket trolleys' card machines and money all carry germs.
I have even insisted in one supermarket that they Anti bacterial wipe the card machine.
It was sticky with crumbs and bits all round the digits. Yuck

Covering nose when you sneeze and mouth when coughing.
Disposing of used tissues in a bag. Washing hands often when out and about.

Like GrannyFlash I am a great believer in boosting your Vitamin C during the winter months. I remember when my children were young and used to suffer cold after cold. After taking something called Halborange they hardly ever got a cold. I do try and up my Vit C intake through my diet.

I do not sit next to people who are coughing, sneezing etc. If I get the tail end of someone sneezing I cover my nose and try to hold my breath until I can move away! ??
I try and get into the fresh air every day, if only for a little while. Keep hydrated too, drink plenty of water.

Try to stay off public transport if you can, as you'll be sneezed and coughed all over!

The only way to avoid colds and other winter nasties is to stay at home, don't let anybody else in especially little people, and don't go out in case you meet someone with said germs. Oh, and try to avoid breathing too much as well.
If you can keep that up during the winter months you should sail through without a sniffle - and without any friends, entertainment, cuddles, life....

Frequent hand washing, always using a handkerchief/tissue for coughs and sneezes and plenty of natural vitamin C

Wash your hands and use Dettol antibacterial wipes on door knobs, etc to prevent transfer of germs. Don't forget to bin your used tissues when you have a cold, and don't leave them lying around to spread your germs. As others have remarked, cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing.Please.

I don't have the flu jab so use very simple avoidance tactics which include the following. A healthy diet; regular acupuncture to boost my immune system; keeping everything in the home clean and I use dettol wipes for loos seats and glass chopping boards and worktops. I try not to ever get really cold, as I think that lowers your immune system. Washing hands on returning home is a tip I picked up on GN although I don't always remember. Will be going on a flight soon, so will take echinacea for a few days before and after.

I think public toilets are a problem area. You wash your hands and then in most you have to take hold of a door handle to exit. I use a tissue or push the door with my shoulder! I wonder about whether hand dryers blow the germs into the atmosphere.

I use my car key to press lift buttons.

Common sense measures such as washing hands as soon as I get home, coughing and sneezing into a tissue and not over others and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise. I agree that we should be exposed to germs and dirt and that there is such a thing as too much sanitising.

If you can make sure you get the flu jab every year and at the slightest sign of a cold load up on freshly squeezed orange juice at least 3 at a time twice a day for a couple of days this has always worked well for me and my family.
I was brought up in a Dettol household and mum always put a drop in the washing and in the bath (when it was my turn) I carried on using it when I started up my own home and it has always been on my shopping list since my children where babies.
When out and about I must make sure I always have hand sanitiser with me specially if on and off buses and using shopping trollies it may seem over the top but heyho I don't want anyone elses germs thanks very much.

Flu jabs, regularly washing hands, a good diet and plenty of fresh air and exercise. It is difficult to avoid those on buses and trains and overheated offices and rooms who cough and sneeze without covering their faces. Paper hankies that can be binned and not left lying around are a good idea. Overheated rooms are not healthy or necessary. Extra care in wiping well handled surfaces and making sure that cutlery and china are well washed in plenty of hot water. However your must build up immunity yourself, and constantly using antibacterial sprays will not help you to do that. I think we were probably healthier as children without so much worry about germs, germs are after all part of life.

Just reading this when next door neighbour popped round to see how I was. Back in the day it was me checking on the 'old lady next door' - now I'm that person

Vitamin C is the answer. I take Vit C powder mega dose. This isn't necessary if your diet contains a lot of Vit C but that's not easy. Lots of fresh air, however cold the weather is, I really believe it helps our bodies to cope with the air con, the central heating and all the other air trappers we live with. Extra care with hand-washing and hygiene, and most important the warm glow that comes from having a happy outlook, fends off the winter bugs and viruses

When out and about I avoid touching door handles and banisters etc. and if I am forced to do so, I carry a small bottle of anti-bac hand gel around with me and I give my hands a little squirt.

At this time of year I think it is even more necessary to eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, nuts and protein - so easy to eat comfort foods when it is cold and miserable but they don't help the immune system fight the germs. Washing hands often, as well as keeping all surfaces clean, will help reduce the transfer of germs from one person to another. I have a spoon of honey when my throat feels sore and if I think I may be 'going down with a cold' have a paracetamol and plenty of hot fluids and keep warm. If I start sneezing or coughing then I stay away from people as I feel this is the time when I am most likely to spread germs.

I totally agree about the overuse of anti-bacterial products and the fact that exposing children to a certain degree of bacteria may result in less allergic conditions such as asthma.
As far as colds go it is something you really can't guard against, particularly with young GCs. When I was teaching the first few years were always accompanied by loads of colds. Over the years I developed immunity and hardly ever got one. It's ten years since I retired and this year I've had more colds than ever, courtesy of 2 GCs attending nursery and bringing them back. The virus has changed and I am more susceptible, but I'm building up immunity again.

I use Dettol wipes all round the house, but especially on the door handles and always on toilet flush handles.You can't eradicate all germs/bacteria but this will help.I also use them on light switches.