Curse Of Your Purse?

**bee9984** · 03-15-2008, 07:54 AM

I was reading one of my readers digest and I thought this was interesting and I had never thought of it. I wanted to share this with everyone:

A woman's purse can be a storage container, a fashion accessory and a status symbol. To University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, it's a vehicle for germs. Gerba conducted a field study on the amount of bacteria on women's purses: many tested in the millions per 26 square centimetres. (Gerba says more than a thousand bacteria for an area of this size raises concern.) "That's more than you'd find in a toilet." he says. Here are ways to nurse your purse to health: Don't place it on floors or counters in public washrooms. At home, keep it off food-preparation areas. And once a week, wipe it with disinfectant.

**TheRootedNomad** · 03-15-2008, 08:10 AM

I've always been careful with putting my purse on the floor but zI don't really wipe it down ever either. Definately not once a week......maybe I'll start. That's a lot of germs!

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-15-2008, 08:21 AM

spray it with lysol

**Marie78** · 03-15-2008, 08:49 AM

Now I want to go scrub my purse with a lysol soaked rag! I've been guilty of setting it down (not on rest room floors) but on rest room counters, the floor of my cubicle at work, on my dining room table, etc.....

Time to go wash my toilet germy purse...

**mombottoo** · 03-15-2008, 09:00 AM

Of all the things in my life I never considered my purse a threat to anyones health...ewww. You have made me look at my purse in a whole different light.

**bee9984** · 03-15-2008, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by mombottoo

Of all the things in my life I never considered my purse a threat to anyones health...ewww. You have made me look at my purse in a whole different light.

I had not thought of my purse being a threat either but lo and behold "Yuck".

**DixieJ** · 03-15-2008, 12:14 PM

I've never thought about my purse harboring germs. I've been known to come in the house and sit my purse on the kitchen table. Ewww, not anymore!! Heading for the lysol right now!

**Holly** · 03-15-2008, 12:47 PM

Not Germ phobic here , and never take studies seriously.
Somebody is always saying something. Trying to make their voices important.
We need germs so our bodies can build antibodies or our immune system is shot to smithereens
I live on a farm with dozens of animals, whats another germ.
JMHO

**shoiji** · 03-15-2008, 12:52 PM

OK, so I will be rethinking the whole buying purses second hand. Never knew about all the germs. YUUUCCCKKKYYYYY.

**C@rol** · 03-15-2008, 01:49 PM

"Don't place it on floors or counters in public washrooms. At home, keep it off food-preparation areas. And once a week, wipe it with disinfectant."

Great advice. I really do try to do anything to keep my
purse off the floor or other not so clean looking surfaces.
Will keep these in mind.

**starsapphire** · 03-15-2008, 03:53 PM

To my knowledge I have never gotten sick from my purse. As long as I don't lick it, and use common sense, I'll be fine. Same goes for most other objects in my life.

**dcompton** · 03-15-2008, 05:33 PM

I agree with Holly and Starsapphire. I've never been a proponent of bubble-living. The world is inescapably a dirty and germy place. I'm always astonished at how germ-phobic our culture has become. So I guess my purse just isn't very high on the list of anxieties.

**qtkitty** · 03-15-2008, 05:48 PM

Ewwwww

My purse is fabric .. i need to wash it again( the label says not to but i have once already and it was fine ... i just washed it on gentle and then put it through the low heat and it was fine )