Germs, viruses and fuel pump handles and doors

[down_home]

Fuel pump handles, perhaps are the worse for spreading germs and viruses ,maybe with door handles of businesses being first.
Someone who has just finished shoveling out the barn or milking parlor, or has a cold or flu or a virus most usually does/may not wash their hands or use a sanitizer of disinfectant wipe before pumping fuel, or entering a store.
We carry the little packages of disinfectant wipes but don't always think to wipe our hands...and the pump handle with them. We are changing that if we can find more wipes. I always use disposable nitrile gloves to pump diesel as 99% of the tiem they are oily with leaking diesel and you can wash all day and not get the diesel out of your hands except by wiping on the upholstery it seems sometimes.
Maybe I need to sue them to pump gas too and even open doors of gas station.
But for certain wee will wipe the pump handles with disinfectant wipes.
Would be good if fuel stops haad them next to the pumps.

[Old-Biscuit]

wgriswold wrote:
I use the paper towels almost always available at gas stations to protect my hands and fingers. The pump handle and the buttons on the card input are my concern.

YEP^^^^^

Grab a couple of paper towels to use for pump nozzle handle cause diesel is oily and the pump handles get messy.
Been doing it that way since 2006 when I bought this truck.

[wgriswold]

I use the paper towels almost always available at gas stations to protect my hands and fingers. The pump handle and the buttons on the card input are my concern.

[goducks10]

Not allowed to pump gas in Oregon. Only time I'm glad. All I have to worry about is the debit card hand off. They can keep the receipt.

[shum02]

2oldman wrote:

JimK-NY wrote:
Using gloves is not very practical. You would need to take them off and dispose of them properly for every use

Yeah, that's the idea.

I've got big leather gloves for the diesel pumps, that could get expensive. Nah.........I'll just keep using sanitizer.

[RandACampin]

down home wrote:
Fuel pump handles, perhaps are the worse for spreading germs and viruses ,maybe with door handles of businesses being first.
Someone who has just finished shoveling out the barn or milking parlor, or has a cold or flu or a virus most usually does/may not wash their hands or use a sanitizer of disinfectant wipe before pumping fuel, or entering a store.
We carry the little packages of disinfectant wipes but don't always think to wipe our hands...and the pump handle with them. We are changing that if we can find more wipes. I always use disposable nitrile gloves to pump diesel as 99% of the tiem they are oily with leaking diesel and you can wash all day and not get the diesel out of your hands except by wiping on the upholstery it seems sometimes.
Maybe I need to sue them to pump gas too and even open doors of gas station.
But for certain wee will wipe the pump handles with disinfectant wipes.
Would be good if fuel stops haad them next to the pumps.

Where is the data support your claim about fuel pump handles?

[2oldman]

JimK-NY wrote:
Using gloves is not very practical. You would need to take them off and dispose of them properly for every use

Yeah, that's the idea. I'm talking about disposable kind, in case that isn't clear.

[JimK-NY]

If you are worried about touching a fuel pump, I recommend using an eyeglass cleaning sprayer loaded with alcohol. Using gloves is not very practical. You would need to take them off and dispose of them properly for every use. Instead give the pump handle a quick misting and then afterwards spray your hands.

[Grit_dog]

^Chalk up another advantage for EVs! lol

[Reisender]

We keep a dedicated pair of gloves in the fuel door of the pusher. They fit....barely. Our daily drivers are electric so the only hands touching the J1772 connecter are ours. Except for long road trips we charge exclusively at home so no gas stations.

[NRALIFR]

2oldman wrote:
Gloves. Diesel pump handles are incredibly dirty from fuel. I don't want that on my steering wheel.

Me too neither. I keep a pair of leather gloves in the door pocket just for that reason. They’re also slightly oversized on purpose so they’re easy to get on and off. They’re quite stained after using them for a few years, so that’s dirt and fuel that’s not on my hands and steering wheel.

But, the best thing to protect yourself and others from infection is washing your hands often. Disposable gloves and masks are going to be the new plastic grocery bags if we overuse them.

:):)

[colliehauler]

NRALIFR wrote:
You don’t need to sanitize the pump handle before you touch it. Sanitize your hands afterwards. Use gloves if you want, but even that is not necessary if you will wash your hands afterwards.

Some thought should be given to what is going to happen if everyone starts going through dozens of plastic gloves a day just because you need to touch some public surface when the most effective means of protecting yourself and others it to wash your hands with soap and water.

Frequent hand washing is even more effective than frequent use of hand sanitizer.

:):)

You hit the nail on the head. Practicing good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water. I do keep a pair of leather gloves for the Diesel pump.

[2oldman]

Gloves, the disposable kind. Diesel pump handles are incredibly dirty from fuel. I don't want that on my steering wheel.

[NRALIFR]

You don’t need to sanitize the pump handle before you touch it. Sanitize your hands afterwards. Use gloves if you want, but even that is not necessary if you will wash your hands afterwards.

Some thought should be given to what is going to happen if everyone starts going through dozens of plastic gloves a day just because you need to touch some public surface when the most effective means of protecting yourself and others it to wash your hands with soap and water.

Frequent hand washing is even more effective than frequent use of hand sanitizer.

:):)

[shum02]

I have gloves to pump fuel and hand sanitizer in the door. Been doing this for years and I only pay at the pump. The "pay at the pump" is a LOT less dirty than inside!

[JRscooby]

Decades of pumping fuel. I always keep gloves near just so I do not spread fuel to inside of truck.
Never even thought of getting sick from them. Wonder how many viruses have died on the gloves?
BTW, in the diesels I keep a small bottle of baby powder with the gloves. Fuel on my clothes? Sprinkle on some powder, brush off.