I now have a new phobia.

The Korea Consumer Protection Board has conducted a survey which has found that shopping cart handles are number one on a list of bacteria-infested items! Typically, they contain an average of 1100 colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria per 10 sq cm.

And now brought to you by Captain Obvious: A board spokeswoman said that the best way to stop the spread of infectious diseases by hand contact was to wash your hands with soap.

Quoting statistics, the spokeswoman said that while more than 77 per cent of people were aware of the importance of washing hands, only 47.9 per cent actually bothered to wash them.

I have always attempted to avoid touching public bathroom doors with my hands by kicking them open or using an elbow but now I have a new list of public items not to touch!

Among the list I already have is public bathroom taps! It is ok if they have the 'leaver' style tap where you can use the back of your hand to turn it on and off but if it is the more traditional tap where you have to turn it on and off then forget about it, I'm not touching it! Consider this, when someone has used the toilet, they then have dirty hands. They then touch the tap with dirty hands, contaminating the tap. Then after the washing their hands they then touch the dirty tap again to turn it off and hence are still contaminated.

So when I am in a public bathroom and they only have that style of tap I dont wash! Thats right you heard me. Before you get upset with me, let me explain. I wash. I wash regularly! I wash carefuly. I especially wash my naughty bits carefuly! Therefore I am willing to bet that my naughty bits are extremely clean. Therefore after I take a leak, (assuming I have been able to not urinate all over my hands, which yes, I am able to avoid that) my hands are still extremely clean as they have only touched my old fella which is also extremely clean! Therefore, I do not choose to touch a tap which is infested to wash my already extremely clean hands.

I should point out, before you call the cops and notify the government, I only do this is manky disgusting public toilets (are public toilets of any other kind?). At home, at friends, at work, I still wash my hands. So relax.

The Dirty Half Dozen:
1. Shopping cart handles - 1100 CFU per 10 sq cm
2. Internet café computer mouse - 690
3. Bus hand straps - 380
4. Public toilet handles and door knobs - 340.
5. Lift buttons at 130
6. Train hand straps - 86