x
Breaking News
More () »

Filth Finder: Health hazards while traveling

We brought the Filth Finder on a little vacation to test out the surfaces travelers come in contact with during their trips.

PHOENIX - Traveling is kind of rough.

You’re on the road all day, stuck in airports, then stuck in planes with a couple hundred other people – who are probably coming down with something.

The germs that cause colds, flus and stomach bugs can all live on the things you touch.

So we took the 12 News Filth Finder on a little trip to test out all those surfaces you come in contact with. The Filth Finder tests for organic material, like skin cells, bacteria and viruses. We swab an item, break the top, and pop it into the device. A score over 30 is considered dirty, and a disinfecting wipe can usually get an object into safe range.

First, we tested the seats and armrests in the waiting area of the airport. After a good swab, the armrest came in at 66, more than double the limit.

Next, about 30,000 feet up, we tested the tray tables. Remember, 30 is dirty. The tray table results came in at 109 – and you eat off that table.

Physician Andrew Carrol says you really shouldn’t expect planes to be that clean.

“The surfaces on an airplane hopefully get cleaned, but if there’s a very, very quick turnover on the plane, you’re going to have a dirty surface,” he said. “I think there is something to be said about worrying about touching and then the air you breathe when you’re flying in an aluminum can.”

You’re not out of the woods when you land. You still have to drive to where you’re going.

We brought the Filth Finder to a brand new rental car. Before we touched anything, we started swabbing surfaces.

The start button tested at 166. Another thing everyone has to touch in a rental car, the gear-shift, came in at 718.

But nothing we tested in the rental car compared to the steering wheel. It came in at 1,281, more than 42 times the limit. Just a disinfecting wipe would bring the score down to healthier levels.

The bottom line is, the rental car may be vacuumed and clear of trash, but that doesn’t mean it’s clean.

MORE FILTH FINDER STORIES:

Germs lurking on gas station pumps

The dirtiest spots in Valley movie theaters

How well are hotel rooms cleaned?

Before You Leave, Check This Out