Travelers Take Note: Here Are The Germiest Places At Airports And On Airplanes

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Whether you are a clean freak or not, there are some pretty germy places at the airport and on airplanes that you may want to avoid while traveling.

According to a study from InsuranceQuotes.com, those touch screens on the self-check-in kiosks have the highest concentration of germs, about 12 times as many as your kitchen sink.

Coming in second, the flush button in the airplane lavatory, which was found to have a germ presence 32-hundred times higher than the toilet handle at home.

Next up, the armrests of the departure gate seats, followed by public water fountains.

Pull out the cleaning wipes when you board and be sure to wipe down the pull down seat tray table because that is another germy hotspot.

Finally, the "cleanest" of the six surfaces tested, but still three times germier than your kitchen countertop, is the buckle on your seat belt.

The study does advise, "not all germs and bacteria are harmful to humans." The study found different kinds of germs on the surfaces it tested, some benign and some nasty.

Therefore, the bottom line is, wash your hands often and carry some type of hand sanitizer.