ATMs

The dirty details: The buttons of most of the machines contain common mouth bacteria, which would be found in saliva, Brown said. In fact, researchers in China found that each individual ATM key contained about 1,200 germs &#8212; which included <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="HEDAI000000107" title="E. coli Infection" href="/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/e.-coli-infection-HEDAI000000107.topic">E. coli</a> and other viruses. Put your fingers near your mouth or eyes after touching the ATM, and you could spread whatever germs were found on the ATM.<br> <br> Stay clean: If you must use an ATM because there isn't a bank teller available, wash your hands as soon as you're done.
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( Image Source/Getty Images / August 2, 2012 )

The dirty details: The buttons of most of the machines contain common mouth bacteria, which would be found in saliva, Brown said. In fact, researchers in China found that each individual ATM key contained about 1,200 germs — which included E. coli and other viruses. Put your fingers near your mouth or eyes after touching the ATM, and you could spread whatever germs were found on the ATM.

Stay clean: If you must use an ATM because there isn't a bank teller available, wash your hands as soon as you're done.

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