What are the germiest things you'll find in public places?  Perhaps the ATM machine, the elevator button at work or the handle on the grocery cart.  Read on and be prepared to never leave home without some hand sanitizer.According to Prevention, these are the eight germiest things you'll encounter in public places and what you can do to avoid getting sick.

1.  Lemon wedges.  Skip those in your drinks at restaurants.  In one study, E coli and fecal bacteria was found on lemon wedges in restaurants.  Don't take the chance and get sick.

2.  Restaurant menus.  They're touched by people over and over again and have you ever seen them cleaned?  Keep them away from your plate and silverware and after you've placed your order, wash your hands.  I do that anyway, not because of the menu but because it's always a good idea to wash your hands before you eat.  How many times did you hear that growing up?

3.  Condiment dispensers.  Much like the menus, they're handled by people over and over again and when are they cleaned?  Experts recommend wiping them down with a disinfectant before using them.

4.  Grocery carts.  Oh those grocery cart handles are filled with germs.  Lots and lots of germs.  In a study done in 2007, the bacteria count on grocery carts was higher than the average public bathroom.  Gross.  Wipe down the handle before you shop.

5.  The doctor's office.  Germs love to hang out here.  What can you do to avoid getting sick?  Keep two or three chairs between you and other patients in the waiting room, if possible.  Bring your own magazines and books and if you're bringing kids, bring their own toys.  Carry your own tissues and hand sanitizer too.

6.  Restroom door handles.  To avoid the germs lingering on the handle, use a paper towel to open the door.

7.  Airplane bathrooms.  You're much more likely to catch a cold when you're flying, so the experts recommend green tea supplements.

8.  Soap dispensers.  Along with dispensing soap, public soap dispensers pass along lots of germs too.  Almost 25% of dispensers are contaminated with fecal bacteria.  Wash your hands  thoroughly with hot water and use an alcohol based hand sanitizer too.

Are you grossed out yet?  Do you carry hand sanitizer?  Those sanitizer wipes sure come in handy sometimes.

(Source: Prevention.com)

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