Posted AT 12:00 AM EST on 02/09/06
Germs, ahoy!
You open the door of the gas station washroom, scanning and sniffing for biohazards. It seems safe. No overflowing urinals or toilets. No sewer stench and your shoes don't stick to the floor.
But research suggests that the riskiest part of your pit stop may come after you flush. Hot water taps usually have far more fecal bacteria on them than toilet seats do, University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba says.
"I'm good at using my elbow," he says.
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