Always Wash Your Hands After Touching These 5 Things

Whether germs worry you or not, the truth is that microscopic bacteria and viruses are on every surface around us — and the most effective way to avoid getting sick is by regularly washing your hands. This is especially true when it comes to some common things that we’re likely to encounter in our day-to-day. Touching any of them should send you running for the nearest sink.

Paper Money

A bank note typically stays in circulation for anywhere between five and 15 years — and  during that time, it amasses thousands of different microbes. Scientists have found that there are roughly 3,000 types of bacteria on the surface of a dollar bill, including microbes that cause acne, as well as viruses such as E. coli and salmonella. Drug-resistent pathogens, as well as actual drugs, may also be present on bills.

Most of the microbes found on bills are harmless, and you’re not likely to get sick from touching money. But it’s still pretty gross, so it’s a good idea to  wash your hands after handling cash.

Shopping Carts

When you grab a shopping cart at the supermarket, it’s best not to think too hard about the dozens of strangers who have touched that same handle in the last day. But it’s a big concern — at least according to microbiologist Jason Tetro, who told HuffPost Life that they’re “the one thing that people will overlook … because they’re too focused on purchasing food.”

When you grab a cart, you’re likely so preoccupied with your grocery list or whether the store has your preferred brand of yogurt that you won’t stop to think about all the germs you’re touching. But studies have shown that large amounts of bacteria, including fecal bacteria, have been found on carts, and they can cause everything from fevers to gastrointestinal upset. (More pathogens were found on carts than in public restrooms, which are cleaned more regularly.) Viruses that cause colds and the flu can also survive on hard surfaces for hours. So consider wiping down any shopping cart handle before you touch it, washing your hands immediately after shopping, and washing any food that actually touches that germy cart for good measure.

Touchscreens

One pro of the trend toward cashless payments is that it means less handling of germ-riddled paper money. Unfortunately, there’s a big downside to cashless transactions, too: dirty touch screens and pin pads, which can be home to pathogens such as staph and listeria.

When using a touch screen, you may need to tap the screen to make a selection, add a tip, or sign your name. But picture the hundreds of people who touched that screen before you, whether it’s at the grocery store, an ATM, or the airport (where one study found more than 250,000 colony-forming units of bacteria per square inch on check-in screens). Be especially aware at places like the hospital and the pharmacy, where sick people may have transferred germs to the touch screens they used.

Restaurant Menus

While a lot of restaurants have trended toward using QR code-based menus, there are many customers (such as yours truly) who prefer a classic physical menu. But those menus are among the dirtiest places in any restaurant — even dirtier than a toilet seat. A 2014 study found that menus had a whopping 185,000 bacteria per square centimeter, which is just about the worst thing to learn after grabbing some complimentary bread and stuffing it in your mouth. Always go to the bathroom and wash your hands after you order and before you eat anything.

Gas Pumps

Those who live in New Jersey don’t have to worry about dirty gas pumps, as state law requires attendants to pump gas for you. But everyone else should be washing their hands immediately after filling up: According to testing conducted in 2011, gas pumps are the filthiest surface Americans touch; they have 11,000 times as much bacteria as a toilet seat and come out ahead of public mailboxes, escalator railings, ATM buttons, vending machines, and more. After you pump gas, make sure to go into the bathroom to wash your hands before hitting the road again.

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