6 dirtiest places on a plane revealed
Get the hand sanitiser ready. A lot of places inside an airplane cabin are seriously dirty – and it might not be the ones you think.
1. Tray table
That’s right – the spot you eat your food from is the single dirtiest place onboard. A recent study found that the tables contain more than 2,000 ‘colony forming units’, a technical measure for the number of bacterial or fungal cells that can multiply, per square inch. That’s around twice as many as the next dirtiest area onboard. So you might want to give the tray a wipe before you tuck in.
2. Seat pockets
They look like a convenient place to store your books, magazines, wallet or snacks. But in reality, many people use those pockets as a rubbish bin rather than a storage unit. Used tissues, food wrappers, chewing gum, even dirty nappies have been known to make their way in there. You might want to keep your things on your lap.
3. Water fountains
It’s important to stay hydrated in the air, though you may want to steer clear of the drinking fountains. The handles of these were found to be the second dirtiest thing on a plane, with around 1,000 colony forming units per square inch. Avoid them altogether and drink out of your own water bottle.
4. Bathroom
This one should come as no surprise. With around one bathroom for every 50 passengers, airplane bathrooms can be a breeding ground for unhealthy and dangerous bacteria like E. coli. The lever to flush the toilet is generally the dirtiest place, so wash your hands thoroughly after using it and apply some hand sanitiser once you’re back at your seat.
5. Overhead air vent
The vents represent a double danger. Not only can you get germs on your hands from touching them, the air flow can blow germs right into your face. Try to avoid touching the vent and, if you’re really concerned, turn it off so that no air flow is coming through.
6. Seat headrest
Lice anyone? Often there is no cleaning of the headrest area between passengers, so you could be leaning your head against the exact same spot as everyone else who has been on that plane today. The easiest thing to do is bring a small towel or cloth to drape over it and protect yourself – just be sure not to block the video screen of the person behind you.
Did you realise these are the dirtiest parts of a plane? Do you have any trip plans on the cards? Let us know in the comments below.
Related links:
5 foods you must never eat on a flight
5 strange sounds you hear during a flight explained
There is a secret way to raise the armrest on your aisle seat