Guide
Cheesy mouse mats hate this trick
by Martin Jud
You’ve no idea how unhygienic your handbag is
6/11/2024
We wash our clothes all the time, occasionally disinfect our smartphones – and constantly neglect our bags. The latter in particular are the biggest playgrounds for germs.
We constantly hold smartphones, keys, bank cards and coins, and we’re forever placing them on cafe tables and letting them exchange hands. Before they end up back in our handbag again. Usually along with a used tissue, sometimes a half-eaten cereal bar, receipts, lip care products and hand cream.
Just reading that list makes me feel uneasy. And yet we constantly neglect our handbags when it comes to cleaning them. It’s not just the interior that’s scary. As we go about our day, the outside of the bag comes into contact with air pollution, bus and train seats, floors and table tops. It might even get exposed to toilet cubicles or food and drink splashes.
You could ignore the problem exists, or you can take this study as an opportunity to finally pay more attention to your handbag’s hygiene. The National Institute of Health examined a random sample of 145 (women and men’s) bags. The results found that bacteria was present in 95% of them.
Low-level germ growth was detected on 101 bags, moderate growth on 18 and high on 19. Meanwhile 68 showed a single type and 70 a mixed type of bacterial growth. Micrococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most frequently isolated bacteria, followed by Bacillus. The researchers also found that synthetic materials are more conducive to the formation and spread of bacteria than leather, for example.
How should I clean my bag and how often?
Interior:
Exterior:
- For leather bags, use a special leather cleaner or a soft microfibre cloth with a bit of soapy water. Afterwards, the material will certainly appreciate a special leather care product.
- You might even be able to wash fabric handbags on a gentle cycle – check the label. Otherwise, the same applies here in terms of using mild soap, lukewarm water and a microfibre cloth.
How often? At least once a month. You can certainly do this more regularly, especially when it comes to the inside.
The future’s clean: 3 tips to keep the yuck at bay
- Your handbag isn’t the place for (half-chewed) snacks. Nope, not even if you wrap them in a napkin first. If you constantly need something to nibble on, I recommend getting a handy Tupperware container for on the go.
- Practical bag organisers are worth their weight in gold. They make it easier to keep track of everything and you can also just throw the bags in the washing machine to keep them clean. My fellow editor Stephanie has already found her favourite, trusty organisers:
Header image: Laura Scholz
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
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