Don't Touch This While Traveling Other Essential Tips For A Safe Trip

Bright Side

That seat pocket on the plane might seem like a cozy hideout for your stuff, but trust me, it's a germ party. Previous passengers leave all sorts of surprises there. So, maybe rethink where you stash your goodies. Also, those blankets? They might not get a spa treatment between flights. A cozy scarf might be your better bet. And speaking of germs, don't forget to give your tray table a wipe – it's practically a haven for bacteria. Safe and savvy travels! ✈️ #brightside   Animation is created by Bright Side.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Listen to Bright Side on:  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD... Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brightside/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightside.... Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.of... Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/p/c6a1e38a-b...  Stock materials (photos, footages and other):  https://www.depositphotos.com  https://www.shutterstock.com  https://www.eastnews.ru  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:04 Seat pockets on planes are mostly

00:06 filled with in-flight magazines, a plane safety guide,

00:09 and information about the airline.

00:11 But they're also home to all sorts of trash, grime,

00:15 and bacteria that just don't belong there.

00:17 A passenger coughs into a tissue or wipes their runny nose

00:21 with a handful of them.

00:22 But instead of immediately getting rid of them,

00:24 it gets placed into the seat back pocket.

00:27 Now another passenger comes along on the very next flight,

00:30 sitting in that same exact seat.

00:32 With limited space around them, putting some of their

00:35 belongings into the pockets leads to potentially millions

00:38 of germs spreading significantly to them.

00:41 It's no wonder that these seats back pockets can get so nasty.

00:45 Everybody puts their trash inside of them.

00:47 Passengers often leave uneaten candy bars, diapers,

00:51 apple cores, and nuts.

00:52 This leaves crumbs and other matters everywhere.

00:55 All of this trash is taken out before the next flight.

00:58 But they're rarely ever deeply cleaned.

01:01 It's all dependent on the airline itself

01:03 as to how often they'll really clean the plane

01:06 and wipe everything down properly.

01:08 The plastic tray tables where we eat and place our things

01:11 are one of, if not, the dirtiest parts of any airplane.

01:15 These seat back tray tables that we use

01:18 can have over 2,000 CFUs, colony forming

01:21 units of bacteria, per square inch living on their surface.

01:26 The rich texture keeps cups of soda

01:28 from sliding off the table, also creating tiny mountain

01:31 ranges where the microbes attach themselves.

01:34 Sugary sodas and juices that spill onto tray tables

01:37 throughout flights give bacteria the perfect environment

01:41 to stay and feed.

01:42 Bacteria love living on this plastic almost as much

01:46 as human skin.

01:47 And there are lots of microbes that your tray catches

01:50 and holds onto, especially when they're not thoroughly cleaned.

01:54 Much like air vents that are always fiddled with,

01:56 seat belt buckles are probably the most touched thing

01:59 on any aircraft.

02:00 The average buckle can contain nearly 1,000 colony

02:04 forming units of bacteria per square inch on it at all times.

02:08 Passengers touch seat belt buckles to go to the bathroom.

02:11 Even after washing their hands, people

02:13 will walk down the aisle touching all the headrests

02:15 for balance to get to their seat.

02:18 After settling in and buckling up,

02:20 most will then touch their face, eyes, phone, and even food

02:24 for the rest of the trip.

02:26 Airports can be big virus spreaders,

02:28 but they're cleaned constantly.

02:30 The same cannot be said for the subway, buses, or even taxis.

02:34 Subway door handles, luggage carts, chairs, seats,

02:38 and poles are very rarely cleaned

02:40 and are a breeding ground for all sorts of nasties.

02:43 New York City's subway system is one

02:45 of the dirtiest in the world, with a mind-boggling 2 million

02:48 bacteria colonies per square inch on nearly every surface.

02:52 Many of these have still yet to be identified.

02:55 They're that rare.

02:56 It goes with you everywhere, sometimes even

02:59 into the bathroom.

03:00 As a result, cell phones could be up to 10 times dirtier

03:04 than any toilet seat.

03:05 E. coli, the bacteria that can give stomach cramps and fevers,

03:10 can live for hours on warm surfaces like phones.

03:13 The best solution?

03:14 Wash your hands thoroughly before touching phones,

03:16 and make sure that phone gets a good wipe down

03:18 with a disinfectant.

03:20 Most people have a smartphone by them day and night,

03:23 meaning that all the bacteria picked up during the day

03:26 is transferred to them.

03:28 Everyone touches the remote control at some point,

03:30 but it isn't even thought of when cleaning the house.

03:33 It falls to the floor or gets into the side of the sofa,

03:36 a warm, dark home for mold and bacteria,

03:40 where there are lots of crumbs and grime.

03:42 A good clean with an antibacterial wipe

03:44 every so often will help keep it shiny and germ-free.

03:48 Blowing out candles on a birthday cake

03:50 can expel a mist of saliva that always lands on the birthday

03:54 cake frosting.

03:55 This can lead to some very unhappy birthday parties

03:58 if someone is sick.

04:00 Sometimes it's better to skip the candles altogether,

04:03 or accept the risk that every day is someone's birthday

04:06 celebration, and a little bit of spit won't always hurt you.

04:10 A single ATM gets touched by hundreds of people in a day.

04:13 The chances that at least one of those people touching

04:16 the buttons is sick and freely spreading the flu or cold

04:19 is naturally quite high then.

04:21 The flu, for example, can live up to two days on objects.

04:25 It can even be days after someone

04:26 has recovered from that virus that it'd still

04:28 be active and spreadable.

04:31 ATMs are cleaned, but not all the time.

04:34 It would be impossible to service every single one

04:36 in a major city daily.

04:38 A single dollar bill can be home to thousands

04:41 of different kinds of bacteria, including

04:43 the usual suspects, like E. coli, staph,

04:46 and a bacterium that causes acne breakouts.

04:49 Paper money can reportedly carry more germs

04:52 than a household toilet.

04:53 And bills are a hospitable environment for gross microbes.

04:57 The smaller in value of the bill, the dirtier it will be,

05:00 because it's in circulation more.

05:02 Money can't be cleaned like a lot of things,

05:05 but taking it to a bank for new, hopefully cleaner bills

05:08 is possible.

05:09 Use hand sanitizer and wash your hands

05:12 after handling money, too, just in case.

05:15 Grocery store shopping carts can have more bacteria on them

05:19 than what's ever been found in public restrooms.

05:22 That includes toilet seats and the flushing handles.

05:25 Cleansing wipe dispensers have been

05:26 appearing at many major grocery chains,

05:29 and some stores even go the extra mile

05:31 to clean them after the day's through.

05:33 But these simply aren't enough to keep up with the petri dish

05:36 that the handles are.

05:37 With over 100,000 bacteria per square inch,

05:41 it's nearly impossible to keep them clean.

05:43 Toothbrush holders hold onto moisture

05:46 and are rarely cleaned, making them one of the dirtiest things

05:49 in our homes.

05:50 It can be filled with salmonella, E. coli,

05:53 and lots of mold over time when it's not

05:55 getting cleaned regularly.

05:57 Wash your toothbrush holder in hot, soapy water

05:59 every week to minimize the chances of getting sick.

06:03 Toothbrushes should be changed every three to four months

06:05 for a very good reason.

06:07 It takes a while for the toothbrush to dry.

06:09 This creates the perfect home for mold and fungus

06:12 to spread and grow.

06:14 You heat a pack of popcorn in the microwave,

06:16 and there are small unpopped grains left.

06:19 You can get rid of them before you open the bag.

06:21 See this little tiny hole at the top?

06:24 Shake the pack over the plate, and all the grains

06:26 will fall out of the hole.

06:29 It's much better to peel off the stickers,

06:31 not from the bottom to the top, but tear them off

06:34 from the side.

06:35 This way, the paper remains flat,

06:38 and its low side doesn't bend.

06:40 Peel the banana starting from the top.

06:42 Then you will not have to squeeze the bottom of the fruit.

06:46 The hole on the pan handle can be used not only

06:48 to hang it on the wall.

06:50 You can insert a spoon into this hole while cooking a soup.

06:54 Cardboard containers with Chinese food

06:56 can be opened so that four paper walls lie flat on the table.

07:00 So all you need to do is unfold the container.

07:04 This way, you'll get a very realistic plate,

07:06 and scorching food will cool down faster.

07:10 An easy way to peel an orange is to cut off the top and end

07:13 of the orange.

07:14 Then cut it in the center to the middle.

07:16 Then unroll the fruit.

07:19 Almost all people misuse a travel pillow.

07:22 Usually, the two ends of the U-shaped cushion

07:25 are directed forward.

07:26 The correct position is to turn the pillow on the other side.

07:30 The arc should be under your chin,

07:32 and the two ends should look back.

07:34 Your neck will feel much more comfortable in this position,

07:37 and you'll get a great nap.

07:39 Your ceiling fan has two modes, for winter and summer.

07:43 You need to find the switch on your fan.

07:46 Switch up to start winter mode, or down for summer mode.

07:50 In summer mode, the fan pushes the air down,

07:53 and it sucks the air up in winter mode.

07:56 According to the rules of etiquette,

07:58 you must first let those who leave the room, building,

08:01 elevator out, and only then can you enter.

08:05 First, they come out, then you come in.

08:08 If you're inside, then you come out first.

08:10 This simple rule will help to avoid a collision.

08:14 In restaurants and cafes, toothpicks

08:16 are always on the table.

08:18 Most people use them incorrectly when

08:20 they pick their teeth immediately after eating.

08:23 The correct and cultured way is to go into the restroom

08:26 and carefully pull out all the food leftovers from your mouth.

08:30 Here's the right way to tie a garbage bag

08:32 without making this little hole on the top.

08:34 Don't tie these thin straps together.

08:37 Hold them up, make a knot, wrap them around the knot

08:40 through the loop, and here you have a good tight seal.

08:44 To properly dry your sneakers in the dryer,

08:46 you need to tie the laces together.

08:48 Then put the sneakers inside the dryer,

08:51 but leave the laces tips sticking out.

08:54 Close the lid so that it clamps the shoelaces.

08:56 Done.

08:58 Wired headphones fit much better in your ear

09:01 if you put them on in a way when the tips with the wire

09:03 direct up.

09:05 Then the wire can be put around the auricle,

09:08 so your headphones will not fall out of the ear.

09:11 A bobby pin should be attached with the wave side

09:14 closer to the head.

09:15 Then it will not fall out of your hair.

09:18 Don't brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush

09:20 using fast movements.

09:22 The electronic toothbrush should pass smoothly

09:25 through the teeth.

09:26 You can tear a bag of sugar with one hand.

09:30 Hold the bag above a mug.

09:32 Just place it on your index and middle finger.

09:35 Then press your thumb into the middle of the bag.

09:38 It will break the center, and sugar will easily pour out.

09:42 When you pour juice or milk, keep the neck of the box

09:45 at the top above the glass.

09:47 Then there will be less splashing.

09:50 You wear sunglasses and enter the room.

09:52 Where are you going to hide them?

09:54 Do you leave it on your head?

09:56 Hang it in your shirt collar?

09:57 Or put it in your pocket?

09:59 The best way is to put the glasses in the breast pocket

10:01 so the lenses will be inside, and only one temple

10:05 sticks out of the pocket.

10:06 Your glasses will be safely inside,

10:08 and the lenses will be protected from damage.

10:11 When you flush the toilet, always cover it with a lid.

10:14 Small, imperceptible particles of dirty water and germs

10:17 splash when pressing the flush button while keeping

10:20 the toilet lid open.

10:22 You don't have to tear off the plastic sheeting

10:24 from the dishwasher tablet and crumble it.

10:26 Just put it in the tank and close it.

10:28 The water will dissolve the sheeting.

10:30 It doesn't work with all the brands out there,

10:32 so check the instructions.

10:34 The compartment under the stove is not properly

10:37 used when you put only pans and pots inside.

10:40 You can put dishes with food there.

10:42 The heat from the oven will keep the food warm.

10:44 This is useful when you're waiting for guests

10:47 who are running late.

10:48 Almost everyone has a plunger with a round rubber shape.

10:51 In the movies, we have seen how many times it's

10:54 used to eliminate a blockage in the toilet.

10:56 In fact, this plunger is needed to eliminate

10:59 a blockage in the sink.

11:01 For the toilet, you need to use another special plunger.

11:05 You're eating a taco, and all the food

11:06 is falling out on the other side.

11:08 Put another tortilla on a plate.

11:11 All the fallen food will be on it,

11:12 and thus, you have another small taco.

11:15 Ah, yes, everyone loves a holiday.

11:18 But figuring out what to pack in your luggage

11:20 can be a daunting task, especially when you're

11:22 limited on weight and baggage space.

11:25 Not to mention, you're likely to do some holiday shopping

11:28 on your adventure away from home.

11:29 So you're going to need extra space on your return

11:32 for all those souvenirs you've collected.

11:35 Accumulating too much weight or bulk

11:37 can end up costing you a handsome fee with the airline

11:40 if you're not properly prepared.

11:42 But you can now relax.

11:43 You just focus on booking your vacation.

11:45 We'll take care of your luggage with these handy traveling

11:48 tips.

11:49 No doubt your clothes are going to take up

11:51 the bulk of your luggage.

11:53 Considering most airline standards

11:54 permit one bag for most local trips

11:57 and up to two bags for longer distances,

11:59 that doesn't grant you a whole lot of space

12:01 if you plan on being fashionable on your getaway,

12:04 especially in the winter.

12:05 However, this doesn't mean you have

12:07 to turn your undergarments inside out for repeated use.

12:10 The key here is to be clever with how you pack.

12:14 Firstly, you might want to consider

12:16 how you're folding your clothes.

12:18 The most space-efficient method to store your wardrobe

12:21 in a suitcase for travel is to roll up each item.

12:24 Think of your clothes like those sleeping bags

12:26 you used to take on your camping trips.

12:28 They always seem too thick for their compacted covers.

12:31 But with perseverance, you could roll it up

12:34 tight enough to fit inside.

12:36 Now, you don't need to wrestle with your clothes

12:38 quite as much.

12:39 But the same principle here applies.

12:41 Start by folding your shirts, pants,

12:44 and whatever else you plan on packing neatly,

12:47 similar to how you might find them on a clothing store shelf.

12:50 Then, when you have them in a relatively rectangular

12:53 or squared-off shape, roll them up tightly.

12:57 Now that you have your little clothes-logs,

12:59 start packing them into your bag.

13:01 And behold, extra space.

13:04 Now, here's something we've all experienced

13:08 arriving at our holiday destination.

13:10 We drop our suitcase on the hotel bed,

13:12 open it up, only to find all our clothes unfurled

13:16 and scattered like a tornado storm through our bag.

13:19 Your luggage has had a rough journey

13:21 from your home to your holiday destination.

13:24 It's been dragged through airport terminals,

13:26 tossed around by baggage handlers,

13:28 and rocked back and forth during in-flight turbulence.

13:31 A simple stationary item, rubber bands,

13:34 will help you keep your clothes neat.

13:36 Now that you've got them rolled up,

13:38 place a couple of rubber bands around them

13:40 to keep them from unfurling.

13:42 This is an especially neat trick

13:43 if you want to roll an outfit together as one.

13:46 Maybe you've got head-to-toe denim

13:48 that you can't wait to rock on your getaway.

13:51 Fold up your clothes as before,

13:52 then layer the different items

13:54 of your ideal outfit atop each other.

13:56 Roll them up as one,

13:58 then use the rubber bands to keep them together.

14:01 You can preemptively decide your day-to-day outfits

14:03 before you even board the plane.

14:06 However, you may still prefer to fold your clothes,

14:08 especially business or formal shirts and pants.

14:12 Lucky for you, we have a handy trick for that, too.

14:15 Instead of folding each item individually,

14:17 we're going to lay it out all on top of each other.

14:21 Start with your shirts and tops,

14:22 alternating with one on top and one on the bottom,

14:26 keeping the necks of your shirts at the center.

14:28 Work your way down to your pants and smaller items

14:31 until they're all laid out flat.

14:33 Try to keep your pants in the middle.

14:36 Finally, start folding your items in on themselves,

14:39 with the shirts creating the outer layer

14:41 until you end up with a neat bundle, like a present.

14:44 You should be able to sit your bundle squarely into your bag.

14:48 Want to save even more luggage space?

14:51 Instead of putting your undergarments and socks

14:53 into their own section,

14:54 try fitting them into available spaces and gaps

14:57 within the rest of your luggage.

14:59 If you plan on taking a cap with you, for instance,

15:02 the inside of your headwear is a great space

15:04 to store your socks.

15:06 This applies to other small luggage items, too,

15:08 such as phone chargers and ties.

15:11 Though keep in mind that you can also lay your ties and belts

15:14 out flat across the clothes in your luggage to conserve space.

15:18 And if you're really limited on baggage size,

15:21 say all you have is a carry-on for a fortnight-long trip,

15:25 here's another method.

15:27 Get yourself some compression bags to store your clothes in.

15:30 These bags will compact multiple sets of clothes

15:33 into the size of a small laptop bag.

15:36 Fold up the clothes you intend to pack

15:38 and store them into the compression bag.

15:41 You should be able to fit 8 to 10 standard clothes items

15:44 or a few bulky ones.

15:45 Once you've filled the bag, seal it and squeeze the air out

15:49 through the built-in one-way pressure valve.

15:51 The easiest way to do this is either by rolling it,

15:54 and you should be pretty good at rolling your clothes by now,

15:57 or by using your knees to apply pressure.

16:00 You should be able to fit 2 to 4 of these compression bags

16:03 in your standard carry-on suitcase,

16:05 which is especially helpful if you want to save money

16:07 by avoiding checked-in luggage.

16:10 And you can take even more clothes on board with you

16:13 if you stick them into a pillowcase.

16:15 The best thing about this tip is that it also doubles

16:18 as a comfy pillow for you to rest your head on

16:20 during the flight.

16:22 If you do have a bit more space to spare,

16:25 another great way to keep your stuff organized

16:27 is with packing cubes.

16:29 It might not be as space-efficient as compression bags,

16:32 but a lot of travelers prefer them

16:34 for tidier and well-organized packing.

16:37 You might like to divide them by outfits or clothes types,

16:40 such as one for pants and one for tops.

16:43 You can easily purchase packing cubes

16:45 from most online retail services and travel and camping stores.

16:49 There are also packing cubes specially designed

16:52 for one or more pairs of shoes.

16:54 Are the letters SSSS on your boarding pass a reason to worry?

17:00 What's much more dangerous than turbulence?

17:03 Should you really be the first to board the plane?

17:05 You're about to figure it out.

17:07 You might have noticed that most planes have blue seats.

17:14 There's no mystery here.

17:15 Airlines opt for this color

17:17 because it's considered to have a calming effect.

17:20 This color supposedly puts passengers at ease

17:23 and helps even the most nervous flyers to relax.

17:27 But there's also another, more practical reason.

17:30 Stains, dirt and scrapes are less visible

17:33 on dark blue fabric.

17:36 Never throw your boarding pass away in a public place.

17:39 It contains tons of your sensitive information,

17:42 including your name and frequent flyer number.

17:45 This, in turn, may allow someone else

17:47 to check your future bookings,

17:49 change your seat or even cancel your flights.

17:53 So the best way to deal with a boarding pass

17:55 for a flight you've already boarded

17:57 is to take it home and feed it through a paper shredder.

18:01 By the way, if you ever see the letters SSSS

18:05 or S on your boarding pass,

18:07 get ready for additional security checks.

18:10 Instead of these letters,

18:11 there may be a checkerboard pattern.

18:13 Anyway, if you have any of these marks,

18:16 your carry-on luggage can also undergo a thorough inspection.

18:20 Why might they choose you for secondary screening?

18:23 Some of the criteria are making a one-way reservation

18:26 or paying cash for your ticket.

18:28 In some cases, the selection is absolutely random.

18:34 Look, your gate is open and the boarding has started.

18:37 Wait, where are you running?

18:38 There's no need to hurry.

18:41 The trick experienced globetrotters use

18:43 is "always board last".

18:45 For one thing, you don't have to waste time standing in line.

18:48 Then, there are fewer people on the jetway and in the aisle,

18:52 and you spend less time on the plane.

18:54 No one is going to take your seat anyway.

18:57 There's one exception though.

18:59 If you have a bulky carry-on bag,

19:00 it may make more sense not to board last.

19:03 Otherwise, the chances are high that all the overhead bin space

19:07 will be occupied by the time you reach your seat.

19:10 And then, your bag may end up in another part of the plane,

19:13 and you'll have to wait till the other passengers disembark

19:16 before you get to your luggage.

19:17 Duh!

19:19 Before take-off and landing,

19:21 flight attendants usually flip a small switch on the bathroom door.

19:24 This prevents it from flying open when it's not supposed to.

19:28 With the same ease, a flight attendant can open the door

19:31 when someone is inside.

19:32 Look, they only need to lift the lavatory sign

19:35 and move the knob into the unlocked position.

19:40 Pilots don't worry about turbulence.

19:42 That's because they know that there is a thing

19:43 way more dangerous than any turbulence.

19:46 It's an updraft.

19:48 In most cases, turbulence only drops you a couple of feet down,

19:52 even though it might feel as if you're falling

19:54 from the top of the Empire State Building.

19:57 If the turbulence is strong enough for the pilots

19:59 to ask flight attendants to sit down,

20:01 the plane can go 10 to 20 feet down.

20:04 The most extreme white-knuckle turbulence is super rare.

20:09 But an updraft is a big air mass,

20:11 part of a storm or some other weather phenomenon moving upwards.

20:16 Pilots don't see updrafts on their radars at night,

20:19 and when a plane hits one,

20:20 it feels like driving over a huge speed bump at 500 miles per hour.

20:25 An updraft is also extremely treacherous

20:27 because it can push an aircraft upward to dangerous altitudes.

20:35 Modern planes have a special system that detects other aircraft,

20:38 mountains, and different solid objects in their path.

20:42 Ten miles away from another plane,

20:44 and a voice in the cockpit starts chanting, "Traffic, traffic."

20:48 Five miles closer, and the same voice begins to give pilots the directions.

20:54 Airplanes can operate with one engine, even during takeoff and landing.

20:59 Both engines failing simultaneously is almost unheard of,

21:03 but even then, a plane wouldn't drop from the sky like a rock.

21:07 Pilots would have up to 20 minutes to find a suitable place to land.

21:12 The way the cabin is pressurized has a great effect on your taste buds.

21:16 You lose up to 30% of your ability to taste sweet and salty things.

21:22 In other words, it's not that airplane food isn't tasty,

21:25 you just don't feel its flavor.

21:27 That's also the main reason why airline catering companies

21:30 add extra salt and spices to the dishes they cook.

21:34 But you know what may help you?

21:36 Noise-canceling earphones.

21:38 For some reason, that probably has a scientific explanation.

21:42 Cutting off all that noise around can help your taste buds.

21:47 Each of those dings you hear during the flight has its own meaning.

21:51 In most airlines, a boing soon after takeoff

21:54 indicates that the landing gear is getting retracted.

21:56 Three dings in a row means more urgency than just one.

22:01 A high-low ringtone informs crew members that their colleague

22:04 needs them in another part of the plane.

22:07 Three low chimes means some serious turbulence ahead.

22:11 Crew members are supposed to put away meal carts,

22:13 take their seats, and fasten their seat belts.

22:17 If you're a nervous flyer, pick a seat in the middle of the cabin.

22:21 Turbulence mostly affects the front and rear parts of the cabin.

22:25 The middle section, which is over the wings, doesn't shake so much.

22:30 Pilots and co-pilots eat different meals.

22:33 The reason for this precaution is very simple.

22:36 Imagine both pilots having the same dish and getting food poisoning.

22:40 In this case, neither of them will be able to control the plane.

22:45 If they still want to have the same dish and won't agree to have anything else,

22:49 there is a safety net.

22:51 Pilots don't have their meals at the same time.

22:53 If one pilot ate the dish and still feels OK several hours later,

22:57 the other pilot can brave their meal as well.

23:00 That's it for today.

23:00 So hey, if you pacified your curiosity,

23:03 then give the video a like and share it with your friends.

23:06 Or if you want more, just click on these videos

23:08 and stay on the Bright Side.

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