What has 100 times more bacteria than a toilet seat?

The Surprising Item with More Bacteria Than a Toilet Seat

When you sit down at your favorite restaurant, the first thing you usually touch is the menu. However, you might want to rethink washing your hands right after ordering. Studies have shown that restaurant menus harbor roughly 100 times more bacteria than a typical toilet seat.

Unlike bathroom surfaces, which are routinely disinfected throughout the day, menus are rarely cleaned between customers. They get passed from hand to hand hundreds of times a week, accumulating germs from sneezes, unwashed fingers, and food residue. Because they are frequently made of laminated paper or textured materials, they provide an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms to survive.

Next time you dine out, a simple habit can keep you protected: always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after you place your order and hand the menu back to the server.