When it comes to public places that have the highest number of germs, many people may be surprised to realize the high volume of microbes present in their favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, the grimiest areas of a restaurant aren’t always noticeable and typically go uncleaned for extended periods of time. Here is a list of the top places you’ll want to wipe down before using them when you go out to eat at a restaurant.
1. Booster Seats and High Chairs
A restaurant might do a quick cleanup of food after kids have spent time in booster seats or high chair, but there are other areas that might get missed. The possibility of a dirty diaper touching the seating surfaces of a restaurant’s booster seats and high chairs is likely.
If you need to request a booster seat or high chair at a restaurant, wipe it down completely with a disinfecting wipe before letting your child use it. Always examine and disinfect a high chair’s tray before you put any type off food on it as well.
2. Menus
Countless hands touch menus, particularly plastic menus, throughout the duration of each business day, which can result in a rapid accumulation of germs. While restaurants are supposed to sanitize their plastic menus every day, employees tend to use cloths that have not been soaked in disinfectant or neglect the task altogether.
While there isn’t too much you can do to combat this issue, you can always request a new menu if someone hands you one that is clearly dirty. You can also use a hand sanitizer after you finish looking at the menu and have selected your meal.
3. Tabletops
Even if you saw a member of the restaurant staff wipe your table off two minutes before you sat down, chances are, the tabletop is still incredibly grimy. Even though restaurants should clean the tables immediately after customers leave the tables, employees don’t always follow protocol. While they are supposed to use a fresh cloth with disinfectant solution, many wipe down the tables with used cloths, which does more to spread germs than it does to get rid of them.
Try to keep hands from coming into direct contact with the table as much as possible when you are dining out. If the restaurant offers paper placements, place your hands there instead of on the table surface. If no paper mats are available, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before you begin eating your meal.
4. Utensils
Utensils are especially susceptible to germs, particularly when they sit on top of the table. Place your spoons, forks, and knives on a napkin or paper placemat. If the restaurant has bins for its forks, spoons, and knives, these utensils are more likely riddled with germs. Since they aren’t handled individually, many hands are constantly going in and out of the bins and can easily contaminate an entire batch of utensils.
Eating out is fun; just consider these tips before sitting down to meal at a restaurant.
Additional Resources:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/news/a42258/restaurant-germs/
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/10-germiest-places-restaurant-hint-bathroom/story?id=17728078
https://www.today.com/food/6-germiest-places-restaurant-t106697
http://www.wideopeneats.com/the-6-places-in-a-restaurant-with-the-most-germs/
https://www.menshealth.com/health/a19535210/bacteria-on-restaurant-tables/