WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER: Dirtiest Areas inside a Plane - Probably Not What You Expect

jet plane interior – Maura Myles image

The Dirtiest Areas inside a Plane Are Probably Not What You Would Expect

An airplane bathroom is not usually the most clean or pleasant facility, but it’s actually the dirtiest place on board.

A new report from BestLife reveals that seat back tray tables are the single most disgusting surface on just about any aircraft.

A flight attendant tells Business Insider, “You may think that people only place drinks on seatback trays, but the person before you could’ve slept on it or used it to change a baby’s diaper. I’ve seen people put their bare feet on top of tray tables.”

This echoes findings from a 2015 study that found seatback tray tables contained an average of 2,155 colony-forming units per square inch, and researchers said as a result you should try to eliminate any direct contact your food has with the tray table.

The issue is this: The cleaning crew only has a limited amount of time to do their work. They’re more likely to focus on more obviously dirty places, such as the bathrooms (as opposed to seat back tables or windows, which BestLife also says are teeming with germs).

Travel expert, and former flight attendant, Jane Hawkes, concurs. She encourages travelers to bring wipes, to clean the parts of a plane that routine cleanings miss.

“Regardless of cabin class, there are some parts of a plane which are dirtier than others,” Hawkes said. “Seatback trays are not routinely cleaned between boarding especially on short turnarounds,” she warned.

So, don’t underestimate how important sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer are, to take on your next trip.

Clean up, here: (InsideHook)