Study: Gas pumps have 11,000 times more germs than toilet seats

[davidn3600]

Based on laboratory results from swabs from the sample gas pumps, handles on gas pumps had an average of 2,011,970 colony-forming units (CFUs), or viable bacteria cells, per square inch. Worse, the buttons on the pumps (where you select the grade of gas you want), had 2,617,067 CFUs per square inch. To put that in perspective, money, which is considered quite dirty since it changes hands often, has only 5.2 CFUs per square inch. A toilet seat has 172 CFUs per square inch. That makes a gas pump handle about 11,000 times more contaminated than a toilet seat, and a gas pump button 15,000 times more contaminated.

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Since a typical visit to the gas station involves pressing the gas grade button as well as lifting the pump handle, that means, for regular gas, exposure to about 5,267,070 CFUs per square inch, and for premium gas about 4,034,004 CFUs per square inch.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/09/what-is-11000-times-dirtier-than-a-toilet-seat/

[WillowTree]

1. Among the various reasons why I don't put either one in my mouth.

[Hugin]

2. The number one reason I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in my car.

Plus, the aloe keeps my hands touch-ably soft.

[yeoman6987]

3. I hear menus are the worst. Who knows

For years humans have had many germs all over them and survive. The old use sanitizer is for some reason causing more to have alergies and other problems never seen before. Humans need germs to keep our immune system working.

[Binkie The Clown]

4. I use disposable plastic gloves to pump gas, just because...

...I hate diving around with hands that smell like gasoline. Here in Oregon we can't pump our own, but I drive to CA frequently to visit family, so I keep them in the car.

[canetoad]

5. I heard

they have 12,756 times more germs.

[rusty quoin]

6. I worked in a private lab in the 80s.

I got sick at first, but don't know if it was getting immune or use to a new job. Back then, the consensus was we all picked up immunity.

I later worked construction, which is much dirtier. I was less sick, certainly. I don't know if I was because I was happier or not. We all came into contact with microbes...big time...but we were mostly healthy.

I don't use the wipes on shopping carts. I never shied away from sick people like most do. Maybe I'm foolish, or maybe I'm lucky. I think our immune systems are pretty good.

[The River]

7. Eat More Dirt

it's got what an antibody craves.
Seriously, we have over sanitized our environment
to a point where kids aren't exposed to the multitude of "wildlife"
we need to build a healthy and robust immune system.

[In_The_Wind]

8. Great! Another 11,000 reasons

to use a tissue for everything I don't want to touch.