You would be surprised to discover how many things are dirty at virtually every restaurant.  Germophobes may not want to read much further as we look at a recent report that reveals the 11 dirtiest things in every restaurant.

1. Toilet - Obviously you don't want to be feeling up a commode before a meal even though it's cleaned regularly.

2. Ice - Believe it or not, a recent investigation found that 70% of ice found in ice machines in fast food restaurants had more bacteria than water in the toilet bowl.  Didn't know that until now, but I will continue to order drinks with no ice.

3. Bathroom Floor - Here's another one that you don't need a report to tell you to avoid.  But on average, the floor in the bathroom has about two million bacteria per square inch.

4. Menu - Menus get used by everyone, but rarely get washed... especially if it's a paper menu.  GMA did a study and found that menus, at an average of 185,000 bacteria, carry the most germs.  Are you still hungry?

5. Doorknobs - While the bathroom door is washed with the rest of the bathroom, that usually only happens once a day.  Don't even ask about the main entrance handles!

6. Salt & Pepper Shakers/Ketchup & Mustard Bottles - Items that are left on the table throughout the day are used by many, and loaded with many more germs.

7. Lemon & Limes - Odds are the fruits used to add a splash of citrus to you beverage were not washed before prepped.  Not to mention they have been sitting out all day, likely the day before, and your bartender will use bare hands to put them in your drink.  If you do squeeze the juice into your cocktail, don't throw the fruit in afterwards.

8. Salad Bar Tongs - Chances are that as the foods on a salad bar are replenished throughout the day, the tongs used to dish out a helping have been sitting there all day.  They're just about as dirty as the handle to flush the toilet!  I'm not as hungry as I was when I started writing this article, but we're not done yet!

9. Faucets - So you just finished going potty.  What's the first thing you do.  Hopefully, you said washing your hands.  If you didn't, why the hell are you reading this?  The faucet is quite dirty, so after washing use a paper town to dry your hands, turn off the faucet, and open the door.  Howie Mandel would be proud!

10. Glass Rims - Chances are your server has handed you a glass of wine holding the glass by the rim.  Request another glass and insist on then handling the glass by the stem.  And it's a good idea to always use a straw when drinking anything at a restaurant.

11. Tables - Tables get a quick wipe down between customers... with a nasty rag, probably from the mid to late 1940s.  All that does is spread the germs around and distribute them evenly all around your table.  If any food hits the table, don't even consider the five second rule!

 

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