Living Healthy

Money (Photo credit: 401K)

What do you think of when you hear the term, “dirty money?” Do you believe that money has been obtained by illegal means? That will probably be the first thing in most people’s minds. However, did you know that most money is literally dirty, as in carrying germs? A study done in 1972 by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), found harmful germs on over 200 bills and coins such as Staph and fecal matter. Gross, isn’t it?

Money is exchanged by hand. Stop and think about what people do with their hands. They sneeze into them, they forget to wash them after using the restroom, and pick up or handle other objects. These are some other ways money can be found to be dirty.

The Dreaded Flu

No one likes being sick, but the flu has its way of easily passing from person to person. It can also be passed by handling objects, such as money, from an ill person. Any strain of flu can live on paper bills a little over ten days. Now, think about that twenty you received from the clerk behind the register. You don’t know where that twenty dollar bill came from. There could be a good chance it was from the customer last week who had the flu. Makes you wonder How sanitary is your currency?

Lack of Cleanliness

You may be one to wash your hands thoroughly after using the restroom, but what about others? Did you know that less than half of all people wash their hands? It’s a very disconcerting statistic. Not only do these many people handle money, they also hold food while providing various services. Finally, think about those individuals who hold cash, coins or even credit cards.

Plastic Money

Credit cards are just as susceptible to germs, especially when that protective plastic begins to wear. Look at your credit cards. Do you see any black spots along the edges? If so, that is probably dirt caught between the plastic and the card itself. Use a Q-tip and alcohol to clean it off, and then set it out to dry momentarily.

Money can pick up germs from being dropped. People drop things all the time. Money can accidentally fall in the toilet, on the floor, in a litter box, or even come in contact with blood. Sweaty hands also contaminate money. Most people put cash in their pockets for easy access. Think about that person sticking their sweaty hand into their pocket for their cash. Paper bills will easily soak up whatever germs that person has.

Image via Wikipedia

“Cleanliness” may be next to “godliness”, but do you know how sanitary your money is? Do you need to worry about getting ill? How clean is your money? The secrets of your bills may surprise you. According to one story: A dollar bill was tracked for three years and traveled to 8 states including, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Utah and Michigan. What dirt was accumulated during this bill’s travels? One can only guess, but here are the three most typical free loaders:

Germs

Germs can last on a bill for up to 10 days. Germs land on bills simply because folks forget to be sanitary. They forget to wash their hands. They don't use tissues. The worst news is that there’s just enough quantity on the bills to worry over most experts. Want to be on the safe side? Don’t wipe around your mouth or nose after receiving a new bill.

Fecal Matter

No one wants to think about fecal matter, but it has been known to exist on bills for the same reasons mentioned above. If you’ve considered stomach problems because of food poisoning as just one culprit of dirty money, don’t worry. There’s just not that much bacteria on your bill to get sick, though you may still want to practice sanitary rules because of your new-found knowledge.

Drugs

Can prohibited drugs exist on money? This is true. According to National Geographic, “Nearly nine out of ten bills circulating in the U.S. and its northern neighbor are tainted with cocaine.” The increasing use of this illegal substance may contribute to this number. This is a scary thought on the outset, though it is not as dangerous an outlook as one might think. The experts say that there is such a low concentration of the drug on bills (possibly from the exchange of bills during drug handling), that no danger is present.

How clean is your money? In the long run, while your bills are a bit unsanitary with germs, fecal matter or drugs, there is really no reason to worry about getting sick. But if the facts above concern you, and if you cater to the thoughts that others have given, just put your bills in your pants and run them through your washer and dryer. The level of germs, fecal matter or drugs--what is left of them--will be gone. That is good news indeed.