Do you put your purse on the kitchen counter?

[AprilShowers]

Maybe you shouldn't!
I just read an article. Can't find it now, but it said that the bottom of women's purses were the dirtiest things out there! They were testing several different surfaces, and time and time again, the bottom of women's purses were the nastiest!

It got me to thinking about how many times I came home and put my purse on the dining room table or on the kitchen counter! YUK!!!!!

Just think about all the spots you put your purse down. Do you ever put it on the floor in the ladies room? Or even on the counter? Is there ALWAYS a hook? Do you ever put it on the floor when you're at the check out stand? What about in the baby seat of a cart? What if there was a leaky diaper in there before you? I had never thought of these things before, but now I do.

Before you flame me and tell me that we could worry ourselves to death over this stuff. I'm not saying we should OBSESS over it, just be a little bit more aware. Maybe that last flu bug you had wasn't really a flu bug?

Some food for thought.

 

[I Love Pluto]

We have a bench in the entrance hall that holds my purse very nicely. I've never been so glad to have that bench! Your article makes a lot of sense.

 

[Mom2Em]

You got me... ... I do... I never thought about what could be on the bottom...

 

[Cantw8]

Ewwwwwwww, you're creeping me out Now I'm re-thinking a fanny pack

 

[trip]

They did the "swab" thing on the morning news. Really if you think about too much it can drive you crazy. Cell phones, land line phones, computer keyboards, remote controls, the office coffee pot, keys, grocery carts..... we are surrounded!

For MOST people a few germs does a body good.

 

[sweet angel]

I put mine on the bookcase right inside my front door

 

[m&m's mom]

Yes, I do just to drive my MiL crazy!
If she can leave the stupid Thanksgiving turkey on the counter for 12 hours to drive me nuts, I can leave my purse on my counter to make her squirm.
I really am quite evil.

 

[spazzyjazzy]

I put it on my kitchen counter or the kitchen table.

 

[disneygirlatheart]

I always sit mine on the kitchen counter. You made me think I need to find another place to sit it. Disgusting!!

 

[Aidensmom]

I hang mine on a dining room chair, or put it on the table in my bedroom.

I doubt the flu has come from the bottom of my purse, I don't make a habit of rubbing and touching it. As a matter of fact, since I finally found a doctor who will treat me with stonger allergy and asthma meds, I rarely get sick, but for the rare cold, as opposed to the total of at least 2 weeks a year I would be too sick to go to work.

I think society is too paranoid about germs, and there are studies that show that people that have scrub their kids/anything their kid will touch with antibacterial gels all the time are actually more prone to illnesses because they have built up no immunity.

My son, who was premature and therefore statistically more prone to illness has had a whole TWO illnesses in his life where he needed antibiotics...RSV at 3 months and an ear infection when 3 years old. That is all. We don't use the antibacterial gels. We rinsed (and sometimes that was with spit ) when he dropped his pacifier. We still have the 10 second rule if he drops something on the floor.

People, don't get so worried about your purse, unless you have an extreme autoimmune disease. Our body is designed to handle normal germs.

 

[DisnyMama]

I'm looking at it on the counter right now. I think I'll find a new place to put it.

 

[RNMOM]

I often put it on the table. EWw. However, I never put it on the floor. If there is no hook in the ladies room, I hang it over my neck or wedge it between the door and the wall, whatever, never on the floor.

Usually I hang it over the chair or in my closet.

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

Hmm ... I need a new space to put my purse! I do all of what you mentioned!

 

[Christine]

I heard the story about how dirty purses are. Then, thankfully, my local news station follow up with it with some "expert" who said, once again, this was an issue being TOTALLY overblown by the media.

First off, most women when using stall, put their purses on a hook in the bathroom stall. For the purse to get truly contaminated (enough to make you ill), you would have to go into a restroom that was filthy (i.e., had urine and feces on the floor) and set your purse in it. Most women of a sane mind won't do this (and yes, I've been in restrooms that look like this). On top of that, within the next few hours, you would have to contaminate something else (or lick the bottom of your purse) that would come in contact with your mouth to get sick.

Of course, this can all happen; however, the likelihood of it is very low.

 

[PattnFmly]

Never on the counter, but sometimes on the table if I'm looking in it for something. But as for putting it on the bathroom floor - NEVER! Who knows who could just reach under and steal it while your pants are down! And never on the hook either, same scenario, people can just reach over and get it. Happened to a friend of mine, hers was on the door hook, and she had to cancel everything, too much hassle! I either leave it with my husband or leave it on me, I'm not taking any chances!

 

[AprilShowers]

doubt the flu has come from the bottom of my purse, I don't make a habit of rubbing and touching it.

I should clarify myself. My point is that so many times we think we have the "flu" when in actuality we have food poisoning or some other food borne illness. Or worse, we have touched a door handle that has been contaminated with fecal matter from some jerk who hasn't washed properly, then we have touched our face, mouth, or food. Then we get very ill.
Next think you know we're telling people "I must have had some sort of 24 hour bug or something cause I felt terrible!"

That's the kind of "flu" I was referring to. Everyone seems to attribute things to the stomach flu that actually isn't the flu at all!

Trust me guys, I'm not obsessing over this, but it sure did make me think twice before putting my purse on the kitchen counter where I prepare my family's meals. I just wondered what everyone else thought.

 

[daisyduck123]

One of those news shows (Today, Good Morning America, etc.) just did a whole segment on this last week. They had a guy walking around the city, asking random women if he could swab the bottoms of their purses with a Q-tip. Then his partner ran it thru a little hand-held thingy that displayed the number of bacteria on the swab. Ewwww!!!

I've actually wondered about the bottom of purses, pool bags, etc. for a long time...so I always hang my purse on a kitchen chair when I'm home.

 

[Virgo10]

I just wanted you to know I washed my pocketbook after reading this thread!

 

[arminnie]

My cocker spaniel (not the one in the picture) used to sleep on the dining room table, and we know what he must have walked through. He would move a chair across the room to get on the table. I kept a pad on it all of the time, but never worried about putting my purse there (along with my computer, briefcase and about a months worth of mail).

 

[Miss Jasmine]

If it's a Coach handbag it gets hung in my closet. If it's another purse, I set it on the floor between our bed and my nightstand. Cheap handbags that I am not using are kept in a rubbermaid container. Germs are germs. Nothing has killed me yet. I do have to say I have never set my handbag down on a bathroom floor or bathroom counter.