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Surprise! ATMs Are Covered In Germs
CBS 2 in Los Angeles apparently ran out of things to report this week -- we guess they're bored of Super Tuesday, the Super Bowl, and war -- and jumped on a timeless "look how gross this is" story by swabbing Q-Tips on a bunch of ATMs, a piece of machinery that we all come in contact with on a regular basis. Not that this is much of a shock, but after sending the swabs to a lab, the investigators discovered that the ATMs were filthy. Of the 20 ATMs tested in the Los Angeles area, 17 were positive for some type of bacteria.
Most of the bacteria found was fairly common and not particularly dangerous, but some were covered in moraxella catarrhalis, a bacteria capable of causing everything from ear infections to meningitis, or rothia, which is common in our nose and mouth....we're still wondering how that got on there.
One useful discovery the investigative team made was that ATMs with chrome or metal buttons were less likely to hold on to bacteria.
So, if you're a bit of a hypochondriac you might want to avoid ATMs with plastic buttons or touch screens. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next sensationalist story here, as we're just as guilty as CBS 2 when it comes to covering the ol' "look how many germs are on this everyday object" story.
From CBS 2
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Comments
3
Subscribe to commentsbrettzeFeb 7th 2008 4:28PM
I bring my spray bottle full of ammonia water mixture and a rag cloth every time I go to ATM. I spray on the rag cloth and wipe the board before proceeding. I also spray directly at the gas pump hose spigot handle and wipe it off before picking it up. The operators are too lazy to wipe it off several times a day. They rather stay in their cashier roost all day and swelling out their rear ends...
brettzeFeb 7th 2008 4:28PM
Yeah you can use the paper towels by the gas pump to wipe off the sprayed ammonia water mixture..
mmasonmmmFeb 9th 2008 5:56PM
I always keep latex gloves in my glove box (probably not why it's named that, though). Then I can put one on for messy or germy jobs. It doesn't look any weirder than cleaning equipment with your own supplies, I'm hoping anyway. There are also tiny latex covers just for one finger. I believe they are called finger cots. They look a little like condoms for Lilliputians. Very handy for the ATM thing. Actually, for gas pumps, I carry a pair of gardening gloves with a moisture proof lining. The latex gloves are good for checking oil, or maybe cleaning up a dog or kid mess in the car. Go germophobes!