You may use a dollop of hand sanitizer after a ride on the subway or wash your hands twice after shaking hands -- but what about after handling dollar bills?
Do you avoid bathroom door handles at all costs? If so, you may want to consider going cashless in the future. Fecal bacteria and other pathogens can be found on cash, not to mention yeast and mold, too. All four of these matters can actually pose a serious risk to your health.
The U.S. dollar is one of the worst offenders for filthy currency. Made of 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen, its fibrous surfaces are ripe for trapping all kinds of bacteria, pathogens, drugs, DNA and more. And the dirtiest dollars are the more commonly-circulated ones, which means ones, tens and twenties are among the most soiled bunch.
While some lucky bills are decontaminated in the pocket of your favorite blue jeans, most circulate for four to 15 years, which means they've likely been touched by thousands of hands, according to the Federal Reserve.
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