Grocery cart handles EWWWW!

[caseysmom]

I am not a germaphobe by any means however I do things that I never did before such as opening the bathroom door to leave with a towel, etc.

After my daughter almost died of a stomach virus 4 years ago I don't think we can be too careful.

[Karen]

I think I've heard that somewhere before. Never really bothered me. I remember seeing some George Carlin comedy act about germs and how people need to work the immune system instead of be so paranoid. It was funny, and yet I think he was right.

Only for people who already have healthy immune systems. I have a hyper-active immune system, but knowing people with less-than-normal immune responses, I didn't find that bit funny in the least.

This time of year, I have my mittens on when I am pushing the cart anyway!

[cassiesmom]

There are antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria now - can't be too careful. When buying meat I bring a plastic bag over from the produce section and stick the meat in the bag before I put it in the grocery cart. I'm also hyper-attentive to handwashing because I'm a nurse.

Interesting study by Dr. Charles Gerba (funded by Clorox ) tested levels of bacterial growth in a typical office.

The top five most germ-contaminated spots in the office were (in order):

1. Phone
2. Desktop
3. Water fountain handle
4. Microwave door handle
5. Keyboard

The study found that if hit with an anti-bacterial quick wipe once a day, bacterial growth in these spots decreased by as much as 95%. Our office cleaning crew does the kitchen and we don't have a water fountain anymore. I am not as diligent about de-gunking my desk as I should be. I wish I had the services of the cleaning crew to do my kitchen and bathroom at home each night the way they do in the office - they are terrific.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I heard a few months ago that if we all stopped being so paranoid, we would all have stronger immune systems like we did in the old days. They gave examples of: picking up a pacifier off the floor and putting it right back into the baby's mouth, not washing our hands so frequently, etc. etc. etc. I, for one. am not willing to take that chance.

It's true, if you look around at some if the people you're in the store with.....holy cow!! Unfortunately, some people are so downright nasty and filthy that I get the heebie jeebies to think I might be sharing something with some of them. I always think, there's no telling where those hands have been.

Elyse(cassiesmom), I noticed you mentioned the water fountain handle. does anybody know exactly what that green gunk is on the water fountain spouts on some fountains?

[Lady's Human]

The green gunk on the water fountains is copper oxide residue, which is a deposit left by the water as it dries.

Water is referred to as a universal solvent, because given enough time it will dissolve almost anything. Water picks up infinitesmal amounts of copper as the water passes through the pipes, leaving the deposits that you see as the water evaporates.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Thanks LH. To me, it always looks like a glob of some weird bacteria. I've always wondered what it is

[kimlovescats]

Pam, I AM a germophobic!!! I know this sounds crazy, but when I shop at Wal-Mart, I drive the cart with my wrists!!! Less likely to put my wrists on my mouth / face than my hands! THEN, as soon as I get in the car, I use antibacterial hand cleaner, all over my hands, wrists, and steering wheel. THEN, as soon as I get home, I wash with hot soapy water up to my elbows! Extreme? Maybe ... but I hate other people's germs!!! If anyone wants to hear more precautions, I think I could write a book on them!

Oh, I would love to have one of those covered things for Jenna to use in the shopping cart, but I know her lazy parents wouldn't bother with it!

Oh ... also, if I have a coat on, I pull the sleeves down under my wrists for extra protection and padding!

[sandragonfly]

not worried.. never thought of that.. I don't shop A LOT (only household, college student, picky eater) at once so I usually go in without cart -- but if I touch anything that are touched publicly, I always feel so dirt to wash.. I wash a lot though anyway.

[chocolatepuppy]

It's not so much the germs on the carts, door handles, etc, that I worry about but the other 'stuff' I heard they find on them!

[Alysser]

I'm not to much of a germaphobe, but the most digusting thing in the world to me is chewed gum. I hate gum because of it. It's just gross when people spit it out on the ground, or if it's under desks, etc. I'm a gumaphobe.

You can NEVER be too careful. My mom doesn't want me to wheel the grocery cart, all these years I thought it was because of my clumsiness until I asked her why a few days ago and she told me this same reason. I always try and avoid using public bathrooms and water fountains. I hate them. I wash my hands constantly in my own home, so I think I might be a bit of an extremist but it's staying that way.

[Catty1]

Why not disposable latex-non latex gloves for the carts?

less hassle maybe

[cali]

I think safety parinoia in general has gone too far lol. I am not a safety nut in the slightest. I really dont care whats on shopping cart handles, nor I am terrified of public washrooms, I dont sanitize everything I touch and I dont get the flu shot. I let my dogs off leash in unfenced areas near quite roads, and let then run along the van in the country side. I happily stick my hands in mud and splash in puddles etc... no I wash my hands with soap and hot water fatre handling raw meat, I wash my hands after using the washroom, and if a starnger walks into work with hands covered in open wounds I then sanitize my hands and everything the person touched AKA I follow common sence guidlines. and guess what? I have a predispotion to severe allergys and illness, I have only 2 mild "sorta" allergys that is the fabric Rayon cannot touch my skin, and Codine affects my kidneys. I almost never get sick, and when I do its mild and short.

[mike001]

I must be related to Borzoid....I carry hand towellettes in the car and always have a bottle of hand sanitizer wherever I go. Guess I'm a little too paranoid but it beats picking up some nasties. Our grocers started crrying towellettes for the cart handles also.

[Rie Rie]

I've had people look at me funny when I wipe the the cart, but I don't care. My grandson has caught two nasty bugs off those things, once because I had cleaned out my van and forgot to put the wipes back in . I have two containers of wipes I keep at all times. If I'm in the store and I see someone with a small child and he/she has their mouth on the handle, I will tell the parent about what happened to my granson. I know that's where he caught it because that's the only places I ever went. He caught something one time and passed it through four of us and I can tell you it's not something I want to ever get again. So, anyone with small children, PLEASE wipe the carts down really well.

[sirrahved]

This just doesn't make sense to me. Most germs need moist, warm, dark homes to thrive in. Hard, dry, brightly lit grocery cart handles don't seem to fit the bill.