“If you’re a soccer mom, you’re essentially driving a germ-mobile.”
Or so claims a microbiologist from the University of Arizona who conducted a study on bacteria levels in people’s vehicles.
The conclusion: Most of us are driving around in motorized toilets.
Scratch that. Actually, what this germ expert concluded was that in most cases the toilets in our homes are cleaner than the interior of our vehicles.
Food for thought the next time you consider loading up the kids for a ride to grandma’s house.
Before you start bleaching your dashboard take a look at the details of the study:
The research was conducted on 100 vehicles from five different locations: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois and Washington, D.C. Each car’s interior was swabbed in 11 different areas and researchers also noted whether the driver was male or female, single or married.
According to the study, the four top spots for bacteria, fungi, mold and potentially hazardous microorganisms were dashboards (No. 1) followed by change holders, cup holders, children’s car seats, and trunk carpet. The results surprised some scientists, many who thought a car’s frequently touched areas such as door handles, window openers and seat belts would house more bacteria.
So why is your car’s dashboard a haven for so much nastiness?
Researchers found evidence that bacteria can grow in food spills and since most people use their dashboards as a tray table when dining on four wheels it stands to reason that the dashboard would be a prime location for germs to multiply.
Another factor in determining how many invisible passengers you are chauffeuring around on a daily basis is your place of residence. According to scientists, whether a car is teeming with germs also depends on where you live. The study found the warmer the climate the higher the bacteria concentration. For example, if you live in a place like Florida where the average daily temperature and humidity level is higher than the rest of the country your car’s interior acts like a sauna—-a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Whereas if you live in comparatively colder place like Chicago your car’s interior is more akin to a refrigerator and you’re likely going to find more mold than bacteria and other microorganisms.
Knowing this, it should come as no surprise to learn that the dirtiest vehicle in the study was a van driven by a mom from Florida.
The shock for me came from the type of bacteria that was uncovered in the study’s vehicles. According to scientists, most of the bacteria in cars came from dead skin cells, soil and fecal matter tracked in on shoes, hands or animal paws.
Yes, fecal matter… as in the stuff that’s normally deposited in diapers and toilets.
“Our study found organisms in a car that are not uncommon to be found around a toilet,” one of the researchers noted. “If someone gave you some food to eat while you were sitting on the toilet, you would be repulsed.”
Actually, I’m repulsed right now.
I keep my daughter’s stroller in the trunk of my car and I can’t imagine the nasty grossness that those researchers would find if they swabbed the carpet fibers back there. Those stroller wheels have rolled on everything from muddy sidewalks to grassy areas (likely the same spots where dogs have relieved themselves) Hawaiian sand, construction sites, and public restrooms galore.
I should mention that scientists say the main reason the interiors of our cars are so filthy is that we don’t clean or disinfect them nearly as well as we should.
Researchers suggest periodically cleaning and wiping the surfaces of our cars, especially after food or beverages spill. We should also vacuum the rugs and seats where crumbs nestle on a regular basis. And a note to pet owners, scientists say you need to be extra vigilant about cleaning if your four-legged friend joins you for a ride.
However, the scientists’ strongest warning was reserved for parents who travel with small children:
“Children are little bags of germs and if you cart them around, they have more potential pathogens,” said one leading microbiologist.
So listen up all you germ-bag toting parents: You need to buy a container of those disinfecting wipes and use them on the dashboard, door handles and your kid’s car seats because the more rugrats that ride around in your vehicle, the more likely you are of getting sick.
When was the last time you cleaned the interior of your car?
Michele Cheplic writes about red-hot celebrities in POP CULTURE, fiery topics in PARENTS, sizzling recipes in FOOD, calorie burning exercises in FITNESS, and hot new kid-friendly crafts in FUN. Check out all of her articles here.
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