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Haute Germs: Are Handbags Making Us Sick?

Microbiologists tested samples from hundreds of purse bottoms and they found some level of bacteria on every single bag—about a quarter had bacteria counts in the tens of thousands—including pseudomona, staphylococccus aureus, E. coli, and salmonella. In one sampling, four out of five purses tested positive for salmonella.

And just because we can’t pronounce these bacterias’ names doesn’t mean they can’t hurt us. These hard-to-say germs cause skin rashes, eye and skin infections, and serious skin boils. Salmonella and E. coli cause food poisoning-like symptoms, including fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Disgusted yet? Brace yourself, because it gets worse. Many samples of the purses also tested positive for fecal matter. When we flush the toilet, that water sprays, so anything set on the ground is likely to pick up some of it.

One woman who participated in the study had a handbag that surpassed all others in terms of its ick factor; her bag had bacteria on it that tested positive for not only feces, but also possibly vomit. The lesson here is: leave the handbag at home while clubbing. You can fit your ID and celly in a pocket or in your friend’s bag, or maybe a teeny tiny purse that never, ever hits the ground or any other surface.

Keep It Clean

There are a few things you can do to keep your purse free of sickness-inducing bacteria. Obviously, avoid putting it on the floor … anywhere. In a restaurant, grab an extra chair to use as a bag rest. In the bathroom, hang it around your neck if there’s no hook in the bathroom stall (it feels ridiculous, but it’s so worth avoiding the alternative) and throw it in a locker at the gym instead of carrying it around. And please, oh please, don’t set it on the restaurant table while paying the bill.

Leather and vinyl purses are generally cleaner than their cloth counterparts, and the purses of women who have a lot of contact with kids tend to be dirtiest. Whether you’re at a high or low risk factor for harmful bacteria, it’s always a safe bet to wipe down the bottom of the bag every day (that’s right, I said every day) with an antibacterial wipe that will kill most of the bacteria. Throw sturdy canvas bags in the washing machine on a regular basis if they can handle it.

I know I spend a lot of time being frustrated with the inside of my purse—digging around, always searching for the one thing I can’t seem to find in there—but I now realize that the outside is far scarier and worthier of more concern than the cluttered inner pockets.

So although our handbags won’t kill us, it does have the potential to make us pretty sick. Until someone convinces bar and restaurant table designers to start putting purse hangers near where we sit, it’s time we all invest in some sanitizing products for our purses.

Find more health tips in our Health + Safety section!

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