A woman is getting attention online after revealing the reason why she always wears disposable gloves when refueling her car—and why you should too.
Krystell posted a video on TikTok explaining that she keeps disposable gloves in her car and always puts them on before getting out to refuel. She then explained the reason behind this peculiar habit.
“I was at a gas station not long ago and witnessed with my own eyes a man at the pump in front of me putting his hand down his pants and aggressively scratching his […] and then using the same hand to grab [the gas nozzle] and put it back.”
And it’s not like her concerns are unfounded. A study conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional tested surfaces in six major U.S. cities and found that 71% of fuel pump handles were “highly contaminated” with microbes associated with illness.
Meanwhile, research published by Busbud found that fuel pump handles at gas stations harbor an average of 2,011,970 colony-forming units (CFUs) per square inch.
That amount is approximately 11,000 times more contamination than a common household toilet seat, which has only 172 CFUs per square inch.
In the comments, most users agreed with Krystell. “Let me tell you right now… I work in healthcare… people do not wash their hands enough. I will never refuel without a glove or a wet wipe… and a reminder: please wash your hands often, I beg you,” wrote one TikTok user.
Meanwhile, others pointed out that gas pump handles aren’t the only problem. “Sorry, but this doesn’t only apply to gas pumps. Anything public (doorknobs, elevator buttons, handrails) has the same issue,” warned another.
To which Krystell agreed: “You’re absolutely right. In fact, I made another video mentioning that — I just wanted to raise awareness and offer one more measure to help people stay safe.”
Photo and video: TikTok @krystxllmeth. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
@krystxllmeth #psa #healthandwellness #biohazard ♬ original sound – ♡
