A study found the dirtiest parts of the plane, the answers are disgusting

Travel means a certain amount of exposure to germs. This is a given. Still, we weren’t prepared for the results of a Travelmath study about airline hygiene. The study found that airplanes are dirtier than your home. It wasn't even close.

It was a surprise, given that, unlike private homes, airlines have cleaning crews. Unfortunately, it seems like they simply don’t have enough time to do a thorough job.

The germiest part of the plane

The most surprising part of the study was that the dirtiest spot on the plane wasn’t the toilet. In fact, it wasn’t even in the bathroom. The dirtiest part of the plane is the area where you store your phone, snacks, headphones, and other items that come into contact with your mouth and face. It’s the tray table.

Use Clorox wipes on the airplane tray table

Finally, we understand why flight attendants have been advising us to wipe the trays down with Clorox wipes as soon as we board the plane. It’s almost impossible to eat, drink, or relax without coming into contact with the tray table. Even if you could, they are far from the only dirty spots on the plane.

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The study also suggests packing a bottle of hand sanitizer to make sure you don’t inadvertently spread bacteria from your hands or other items to your mouth.

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The second germiest part of the plane

The overhead vent is full of germs

Unfortunately, the tray table isn’t the only place to be wary of. The next dirtiest part of the plane was a place we’d never considered - the overhead vent. It makes sense since travelers are constantly using their germy fingers to fiddle with the nob. We’ll definitely be applying hand sanitizer the next time we make adjustments to the fan.

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The third germiest part of the plane

Wash your hands well after pushing the flush button

You can probably guess the next dirtiest part of an airplane since it’s located in the bathroom. It’s the toilet flush button. While this is gross, it’s a bit comforting to know that there’s plenty of soap and water inches away.

The fourth germiest part of the plane

The seat belt buckle is crawling with bacteria

The fourth dirtiest part of the plane is the seat belt buckle. Like the overhead vent, it’s something passengers touch and manipulate throughout the flight. What’s more, you legally have to touch it.

Study methodology

Samples were collected from five airports and four different flights on two major airline carriers. Swabs with bacterial samples were then transported to a lab in sterile liquid. All samples were plated on Trypticase soy agar (TSA) plates within 24 hours of being collected. The results were tallied using a median based on four of the five samples gathered from each place.

Yahoo CreatorTamara GaneTamara Gane is based in Reno/Lake Tahoe. She takes dozens of trips a year and shares the best destinations, accommodations, experiences, and travel gear with her readers. FollowFollow