Comments on: Don’t Touch That Shopping Cart!

By: Kelly

Kelly

I’m one of those people who uses hand sanitizer whenever I go out, and I really, really appreciate the fact that some stores now offer wet wipes for customers to clean off their shopping carts. For some time now, I have been noticing how germy my hands feel after pushing a shopping cart through a store. As soon as I get back in the car, I get my hand sanitizer out of my purse and use some. I guess many other people are as grossed out by the nastiness of shopping carts as I am, because some stores in our area offer wet wipes for the customers to use to clean their carts. I like to use a wet wipe, both on the cart, and another one on my hands. Of course, when you go through any store and touch this and that, you will be getting more germs on your hands. Thank God for hand sanitizers! I have noticed a reduction in the number of people getting colds and the flu, thanks to the continued use of wet wipes and hand sanitizers, and that is a great thing to see. I mentioned this to my Mom just the other day, and she agreed with me. I hope many more stores offer wet wipes for their customers to use to clean their carts, because it will make for a much healthier shopping experience.

By: terry

terry

doing a research paper in microbiology. interesting info. I do tend to agree with steve. washing often is a good idea, but paranoia has proven to hurt people also. just use your best judgements(& GOD will take care of his own)

By: Jo

I keep a small bottle of Purell with me and some paper towels. Most stores don’t have wipes. Target does a real good job of providing wipes and hand cleaner.
And I wash my hands first thing when I get home. I use a nail brush and scrub as if I were going to preform an operation.
One other thing both me and hubby use – Blistex. A little dab rubbed under the nose before we go out. It’s the camphor in it. Remember those camphor balls of long ago? People wore them around their neck to ward off illness. Camphor is a great germ retardant.

By: Steve

Steve

I would be very interested in hearing why “Walmart” would be considered a “high risk” area. Would CostCo? Target? The Ferris Wheel at the county fair?

Bacteria are ubiquitous. They are everywhere and they inhabit every conveivable niche on the planet. They are necessary and good things for the most part. I agree with the poster above who said “germs are good things”. Kids NEED to be exposed to a wide variety of germs and they NEED to get sick every so often.

Having said that, I am a microbiologist by trade and have never once wiped down a shopping cart. Its just not effective nor is it particularly helpful. Just my two cents.

By: Colleen

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.

By: MamaPyratekk

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.

By: Rachelle

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.

By: Maureen

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.

By: Jack

Jack

Ok, I actually pushed my cart today with some plastic bags on my hands. Couldn’t get this post out of my head…

By: orneryswife

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