EW! You Won’t Believe What’s Lurking in MA Self-Serve Car Vacuums

Do you have a favorite drive-thru car wash you hit in Pittsfield or Lenox?

We see a lot of these car washes around New England that are only drive-thru without the self-service vacuums. So, if you're like me, you go in search of one where you can jump out and vacuum your car when you have the time.

They seem to be few and far between. At least, that's what I've noticed around the Berkshires, so when you find those self-serve car vacuums, they stay on your radar, especially if you used them a lot to get the dried, dirty snow out of your car or the sand from that summer day at the beach.

Since it's winter, you may not be using the public vacuum as much as you do in the summer when you're taking a road trip to Boston for the day or running errands with your dog, who loves the warm breeze.

Either way, there's nothing like a fresh, clean car. Well, maybe climbing into bed when you have fresh, clean sheets.

Anyway, when it comes to cleaning anything, the last thing you're thinking is that you're making it worse and this includes that beautiful feeling after cleaning your car.

Wiping down every surface and then vacuuming up that pet hair, dirt, and grime, as well as those potato chip crumbs hiding in the crevices of the seats, feels so good.

But what's lurking on those public car vacuums is absolutely disgusting. The worst part is that we've all contributed without realizing it.

According to the Panda Hub website, 80% of those self-serve vacuums were covered with E. Coli and Coliforms. You know what that means, right?

Fecal matter, feces, poop.

So every time we vacuum, we're spreading harmful, disgusting bacteria in our car.

Whether it's from a human or a pet, something you stepped in, or from an accident in your car you thought you wiped up, according to the Auto Guide website, chances are the vacuum you're using is sucking up the excrement.

[Some} tested contained more fecal matter than most toilet seats. When you consider what’s likely on the bottom of the shoes you wear, and that those shoes are regularly grinding their soles into your car’s carpet, the results aren’t actually that surprising.

 

Listeria and Staphylococcus were also found on these public vacuums. Listeria is a foodborne bacteria, and staph infections come from the human body. Think of vomit as one example.

This is so frustrating to learn, isn't it?  Here, we are literally cleaning our cars and making it worse. According to Panda Hub, more than 65 million of us use self-serve vacuums daily or weekly, too, with 4 out of 5 containing some kind of gross bacteria.

Getting sick during our winters is already frustrating, and missing beautiful beach days in York, BBQs with friends, or a day at the White Mountains in the summer is just as bad if you get sick.

WHAT TO DO

The best thing to do is vacuum your car at home with your own equipment. Of course, we know that the power of the public vacuum is why we love them. So, if you must, use one, wipe it down with an anti-bacterial wipe, then let it dry for a few minutes.