slo’s Thursday 11/17 poll - Grocery Carts (Antibacterializing/Wiping With Wipe)

[slo]

ONE WEEK UNTIL THANKSGIVING!

When you go to the grocery store, do you wipe the grocery cart handle with a wipe that the store provides?



For Me……I do not wipe my grocery cart handle with a wipe.
When COVID was raging and nobody knew much about it I did, but now I’m back to not wiping it again.
I know, I know…many of you will think that’s gross, but I have my reasons….
1 - I hate how it grocery cart handle is wet afterwards
2 - I’m not touching my face, touching food or putting food in my mouth when I’m there
3 - I’m touching many other things when there that I’m not wiping down
4 - I firmly believe that the reason I’m rarely sick is because I’m not antibactializing everything
5 - I use hand sanitizer when I get into my car
6 - I don’t wipe down my cash and who knows where that’s been
I’m sure many can debate about this, but let’s not - it’s really not that serious - LOL!

*Inspiration for today’s poll is me going grocery shopping today (Thursday’s are my grocery shopping day every week). I have my meal plan for the next 2 weeks since I won’t be shopping next week. Plus I need to get all my Thanksgiving items

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Yes, I still wipe the grocery carts. Wipes aren't always available but I always have my own.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have been wiping down carts for several years now. It took ONCE getting strep throat in like 2007 to start doing that. I don't know if I really did catch it from shopping at Walmart after Christmas sales, but in my own mind I am convinced that is how I got it.

If they do not have any wipes available, I turn around and go back to the car and get my own.

 

[Kitty 34]

I don't wipe the cart down unless it's obviously sticky or wet from being outside.

 

[HeatherC]

I just started wiping them again because we have a lot of Covid cases around and RSV is pretty bad here as well. With the holidays coming, I don’t want to get sick so figure I might as well. I also keep Purell/GermX in my car and use that each time I get back in the car. In my mind, however, it is all luck of the draw.

 

[mumto3girls]

I do most of the time, but don’t worry about it if one isn’t available. I was definitely more aware of it when Covid was first around. In general I just think the carts tend to be dirty—some sitting outside in the corrals, babies/toddlers sitting where I tend to put produce and my purse so I just think I bit of a wipe down isn’t a bad thing when possible.

 

[Meriweather]

I did for about 2 years after Covid hit.
I don't anymore. I sanitize my hands when I get back in my car.

 

[Christine]

I wiped the handle long before COVID whenever I could. Mainly because it's often been a vector for illnesses like norovirus and salmonella. While I agree that you can touch many things all over the store that are "germy", amount of germs come into play as to whether your body can fight something off (very small viral load) or not. The grocery cart handle is one of the most contaminated surfaces around. Not only do people touch the oozing chicken packages, then then touch their carts. People touch every bad thing and then it just continues to build on the carts. I won't get into all that's on there because it's gross, but the handle has far higher levels of everything than anything else in the store.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

If there are wipes there at the store, I will always wipe down the cart handle and the plastic “seat” part in the cart. I saw a news story years ago about the gross stuff found in grocery carts and while I realize this is just one small measure, I feel better cleaning what I can. I also use hand sanitizer as soon as I get back in my car.

 

[mikehn]

My only gripe is to move the wiping out away from the doorway so you're not blocking the entry. Thank you.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I rarely go into a grocery store anymore, almost always using the outside pickup service, at least weekly. However, if I do happen to go into a grocery store, I've always used the wipes.

 

[mamamary]

I don’t. Pretty much the same reasoning as SLO.

 

[mrodgers]

4 - I firmly believe that the reason I’m rarely sick is because I’m not antibactializing everything
5 - I use hand sanitizer when I get into my car

I believe in #4. And don't do #5 to go along with #4. Myself, wife, and 2 kids. Wife was constantly at the kids with the hand sanitizer. I have never used it in my life. One of us was rarely sick and 3 of us were always sick including Children's Hospital stays. Can you guess which one of us 4 was rarely sick?

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Never have never will
I can’t stand a wet cart - I’m not touching my face and I have hand sanitizer - most times I don’t go to store I have my groceries delivered - saves me the time & trouble

 

[easyas123]

I firmly believe that the reason I’m rarely sick is because I’m not antibactializing everything

I agree with you on the above.
I don't wipe the cart handle, although I think I did a few times at the beginning of Covid, but at this point I'm not interested in avoiding every little germ & bug.

 

[RedAngie]

Nah, never. Not even during the early months of covid.

Based on the title, I thought this thread would be about returning carts to the corral or front of store.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I don't wipe down my cart. None of the grocery stores near me except for Whole Foods have had wipes available for months. Instead I still wear a mask and I use hand sanitizer once I'm in my car. Not because of Covid but because of every other illness going around lately.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I don't usually, unless it is visibly dirty (but then I just usually take a different cart).

 

[ronandannette]

Not very often anymore, but there are a few stores that just vibe as being grungier than others, and even if it’s ridiculous, I still do it there. And I never use hand sanitizer anymore unless it’s requested/required for entry somewhere.

 

[slo]

Nah, never. Not even during the early months of covid.

Based on the title, I thought this thread would be about returning carts to the corral or front of store.

Good point - I’ll add something to the title to make it more clear.
Thank you