where are the germiest public places?
By Becky
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
St. Peters, Missouri
December 29, 2012 4:36pm CST
I just read this interesting article. It was about the most germy public places in the US. Some of course, were the ones that I think of often. Like grocery cart handles. A few I hadn't thought about, but it makes sense. But there were some that totally surprise me. I've underlined the surprises for me. What about you? Do these surprise you? Do you think of other public areas as the germiest?
Here's the list they gave:
Grocery store: Shopping cart handles and seat buckets are the worst. Also bad are the fruit and veggies displays with sprinklers.
Children's playgrounds: The swings, jungle gym, and other equipment are the culprits here. But another listed was petting zoos.
Public restrooms: The sink was the germiest! Soap dispensers were noted as being bad. Airplane bathrooms are the worst. The cleanest part? The toilet!!! They say because 48% of American women use covers or toilet paper to cover the seat. Not surprised that the restrooms are considered one of the germiest locations. I'm just surprised at what's the germiest in the restroom.
Offices: Telephones and desks were listed as the worst offenders. Computer keyboards were also listed. They say your desk has 400 times more germs than a toilet seat. YUCK! Other danger zones listed were inside desk drawers where workers put food. Bacterial levels in women's offices were nearly 3 times HIGHER than in men's.
Restaurants: Table surfaces and high chairs were the worst. They say the problem isn't from contaminated food. It's from the rag they use to clean with. It spreads the germs because they often aren't disinfected often enough.
Libraries: Countertops and surfaces were listed as the worst. Not the books?
Cruise ships: The handrails.
Malls: Escalator handles.
So MyLotters - what do you think of the list? Sound like fiction to you? Do you think of other places as worse? How do you combat the germs we face everyday?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
14 Jan 13
I think we can also add bus handles, toilet cubicle knobs, staircase handle (subway. These are some that I try to avoid holding. But if I did, i make sure to make use of hand sanitizers right after.
1 person likes this
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
30 Dec 12
Its scary about how dirty some places really are but i would have thought that the most germy places are definatly public toilets because most people dont wash their hands after using the toilet. We never think about it but i think that door handles are possibly one of the most germy things that we can touch because people dont wash their hands.
@Poison_Girl (4150)
• United States
30 Dec 12
I don't know about you, but *I* think about that! If I can, I'll push the door handle down with my elbow and push the door open with my body. Or I can also use a paper towel or my sleeve or something. If there is ANY way I can avoid touching the door handle, I will do exactly that.
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
30 Dec 12
i also do this i really try to avoid door handles particulary in bars and some fast food places Mcdonalds if i can because some people are just too dirty. As part of my job i have to go into people's houses and the way some people live is terrible. Some people literally life in filth its so sad
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
30 Dec 12
I wouldn't have thought door handles. But it makes so much sense!
@Poison_Girl (4150)
• United States
30 Dec 12
The bathroom sink doesn't surprise me because you're touching everything after wiping yourself, so I always use the paper towel to turn the facet off (AFTER I dry my hands, of course). Petting zoos also don't surprise me. Everyone is petting the dirty animals with their dirty, germy hands. Restaurant tables also don't surprise me. I NEVER thought they were clean and if I happen to drop my food on the table, I will NOT eat it. I also try not to touch the escalator handles. All those germy hands that were all over it? YUCK! NO WAY! I tend to think about these things, though. I just try not to touch anything public, if I can help it. And if I have to, I'll sometimes use hand sanitizer afterwards. If there's a party and chips are involved (or anything where people will be sticking their hands in the food), I won't eat it.
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
30 Dec 12
You are much better about this than I am. After reading this article, I see I need to make some changes.
@riyauro (6421)
• India
30 Dec 12
it is good to be reminded. Good post i must say. Yeah most of the time the things we ignore are worst than the toilets in terms of germs. sometimes i think about it. we must take care where we are leaning but for restaurants we can't do much. It is very scary where all can be the germiest. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day ahead. 
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
30 Dec 12
And I never imagined. Though I knew there were many germs anywhere you find people, I always thought a toilet would be the worst. This article certainly reminded me to take care.
@skyandgrassplot (1497)
• China
30 Dec 12
Yes actually our world is full of germs,so I think the best way to avoid those germs is make yourself more stronger and have a better resistance.
By the way,I want to add one more place to your lists,and that is others cell phones.There are so many germs in other people's cell phones but we usually will neglect it.
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
30 Dec 12
I agree with you that the best way to combat germs is to improve your resistance. When I first began teaching first grade, I was sick all the time. I usually had laryngitis once a month. And it didn't matter how often I washed my hands or was careful. By my second year, I hadn't changed any hand washing procedures, but I no longer got sick. Ever. I'm thoroughly convinced the reason was because I had built up an immunity to the common things found in the classroom.
@Jennlee3 (292)
• United Kingdom
30 Dec 12
I wasn't particularly surprised about anything listed other than the details (which you mentioned you were also surprised by) such as the toilet being cleaner than the sink in the restroom.
What I did want to say was that I worked at three different restaurants in a pretty major city in the United States and was always SHOCKED that we used the same rags over and over. All three restaurants were in an expensive part of town and written up in magazines but yet there we were over and over using the same flimsy little rags ALL day to wipe down the tables after we bussed them. It shocked and disgusted me. I felt awful for the patrons but rules were rules and our bosses weren't willing to cave. I guess they rationalize it by cleaning the dishes and silverware (which they do properly-at least in the restaurants I worked in) and so maybe they figure since you're eating off the plates, etc. you won't be affected by the less than clean tabletop. Either way, pretty nasty! Interesting post, thanks for sharing!
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
30 Dec 12
I never worked in a restaurant and I never realized until I read this article the same rag was used over and over again. I've seen it, just never thought about it. I'll be sure to remember it next time my food falls on the table!
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
22 Jan 13
With an office where you work, I would totally agree about a desk, and the chairs. Especially if you are not the only one using them like where I work. I am surprised a Doctors office, or the rooms you see the Doctors in is not on the list, because I never see them using wipes etc. after each patient washing everything down, and have heard this can be some of the easiest places to get sick from.
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
29 Dec 12
The office ones are no surprise to me - just about every woman in every office where I've worked has a pack of chocolate Hob Nobs hidden in a drawer... and that's not good for germs. 
Amusing anecdote about telephones: a friend used to work for the people who process Mastercard bills (back when it was all still paper). They wanted to cut costs so they fired all the telephone sanitisers because it was such a stupid waste of money... Two weeks later they had something like 30% of their staff off sick with ear infections!
Amusing anecdote about telephones: a friend used to work for the people who process Mastercard bills (back when it was all still paper). They wanted to cut costs so they fired all the telephone sanitisers because it was such a stupid waste of money... Two weeks later they had something like 30% of their staff off sick with ear infections!@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
29 Dec 12
That's a riot! But not really. It's terrible when those in the know and with power know so little about sanitation. We tend to cut corners on those things that appear to be the most obvious without spending time really seeing the whole picture.
@marguicha (222844)
• Chile
29 Dec 12
I can understand that all places that hands touch are awful, even at home. And rags are very dirty too, because most people don`t care about disinfexting them all the time. I don`t know if those Lysol products can be of help but if is too expensive they won`t use it in public places.
@StLouisMetroTutoring (678)
• St. Peters, Missouri
29 Dec 12
You're right. The immediate cost is often the only cost that is considered. Not the cost if germs were to run rampant.
@rohanmona (159)
• India
30 Dec 12
I am not quite surprised. You are surprised because you consider cleanliness on how you see it how it actually is. That is how you got so surprised. Cleanliness is described by means of germs on it. So that's how a keyboard is more dirty and unclean than a toilet seat. Well anyways don't worry too much
