Don’t Touch That Shopping Cart!
Did you know there is more bacteria on a shopping cart than on a public restroom toilet seat? According to several recent health warnings, swabs taken from shopping cart handles and seats have shown saliva, blood, fecal matter, mucus (and worse), plus Listeria, Salmonella, Staph, E. Coli, and general individual bacteria.
Apparently people are taking this disturbing information seriously. I have recently watched several mothers carefully arranging shopping cart covers or draping blankets over the part of the cart where the baby will be. And the woman who took the cart ahead of me took a package of wipes out of her bag and vigorously scrubbed down the whole top portion of the cart. When she was finished, she used more wipes to carefully clean each of her hands. During the same shopping trip, I also saw a baby sitting in an uncovered cart seat, constantly leaning forward to suck on the cart. His mother did not try to stop him. Obviously everyone does not share the same concerns.
Researchers stress that shopping cart handles are one of the most contaminated public surfaces, even dirtier than most public restrooms. The reason? Public restrooms are cleaned and disinfected regularly… grocery shopping carts are not… in fact, most stores clean their shopping carts only a couple of times each year. In the meantime, with everyone touching the cart handles and babies in diapers being put into the seats, the typical shopping cart is continuously being contaminated and accumulating a startling range of germs and viruses.
Some stores are responding by making disinfectant wipes available for customers who want them, but none of the stores in our area has so far taken this step. Regular baby wipes supposedly work equally well.
There is some good news… most of the original testing that is being quoted in these reports was done several years ago, and recent tests on shopping cart handles and seats have shown much lower levels of contaminants. Researchers guess that the public’s increased use of disinfectant wipes is the reason for this decline. Even so, they warn there IS still contamination, and that it is present in levels high enough to cause illness and disease.
So how do you handle this worrisome situation? For myself, I have not yet cleaned a shopping cart, although I would always spread a thick baby blanket over the part of the cart where my baby’s hands would be. Mostly I try to see that everyone follows the recommended “good hand hygiene”… keeping hands away from eyes, nose, and mouth, and always thoroughly washing hands before eating.
And I never put produce in the baby seat!
Written by Shirley | Filed Under Miscellaneous, Personal
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Comments
Comment by Lorraine N.:
I *do* clean the cart. My store has wipes available near the shopping carts and alot of people are using them. I felt a little embarrassed at first but not so much now that other people are doing it too. I would rather be safe than sorry. Great article, btw!
Comment by Sandi:
I use a shopping cart cover. I bought a pattern and sewed it myself and I really like using it. I line mine with a vinyl material so I feel it gives extra protection. By the way, for anyone looking for a nice shower gift, these shopping cart covers are a wonderful idea! I have made and given several to my pregnant friends.
Comment by Sandi:
Oh, and I forgot to say I also use wipes on the handle and on my hands before I touch the baby. I bring my own and I use baby wipes.
Comment by orneryswife:
interesting post. I have used the wipes at whole foods, but that is the only place they are provided that I shop. Gives a person something to think about!
TM
Comment by Jack:
Ok, I actually pushed my cart today with some plastic bags on my hands. Couldn’t get this post out of my head…
J
Comment by Maureen:
All of our local stores have Clorox wipes in the cart area. I use them on occasion, when I remember. I put my purse in the baby seat and also wrapped or bagged produce. Never had a problem, knock wood. First thing I do when I get home is wash my hands before putting things away.
Comment by Rachelle:
When ds was young, dear hubby and I went to the store together. Hubby would push ds in his stroller while I used the cart. Now that he is much older he just walks with me.
Comment by MamaPyratekk:
Our store has disinfectant wipes, but honestly my husband and I never go through cleaning off a cart. Although it’s so filthy, how many cases of sickness have actually been attributed to this? We’ve never felt that the cart was so ridiculously dirty that we would need to wipe it down or use a shopping cart cover. I can also say that my son is two and has only been sick twice in his life, once with food poisoning (all of us got sick from that obviously) and once after he played with a girl who we didn’t know was sick. I’m a firm believer in germs being a good thing, they are what help our immunities! The moms I hang out with who are “obsessed” with disinfecting have children who have been sick time and time again compared to my son.
Comment by Colleen:
Wiping down the carts at high risk areas like WalMart has saved my family a lot of sickies. We have a thumb sucker and the rowdy rule is one hand on the cart at all times. I traced our chicken pox last year to the one out of town shopping trip that I forgot to use wipes. Our grocery store now has a dispenser of wipes which is thoughtful of them.
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