This is a PSA about gas pumps.

[madaboutharry]

A couple of days ago there was a story, I think I read it in the NYT, that some of the Covid-19 community spread is thought to come from gas pumps. I have read in the past about the amount of germs that scientists have found on gas pumps.

SO PLEASE, If you have them, wear disposal gloves. If you don't have disposable gloves wear other gloves and wash them after pumping gas.

[krispos42]

1. Some places have paper towels outside

Use'em!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. There's nothing special about paper towels that would destroy the virus.

Who touched it and how long ago?

Best treat everything outside your bubble as contaminated. Clean things before touching, where possible, and wash your hands after.

[cyclonefence]

2. Some gas stations

provide little mitten-like hand coverings to keep gas spillage off your hands.

If you keep a wad of plastic grocery bags in the car, you could at least slip one or two of them over your hands. It might be a good idea to keep some anyway for unexpected needs.

[MurrayDelph]

13. Back when casinos used to use real coins for their slot machines

I had a large collection of disposable hand wipes that I used for after pumping gas.

The last time I went shopping at Costco, they were still out of hand sanitizer, but had plenty of individual eyeglass cleaners. So I bought a box of those.

I'm up in Oregon, so the only part of using them for pumping gas is cleaning off my credit card when the attendant gives it back.

I just wish Costco would hurry up and switch their gas pumps to contactless before I start travelling again.

[central scrutinizer]

3. Pumping your own gas is not allowed in Oregon

When I travel out of state, I feel like an idiot.

[uppityperson]

4. Or sanitize your hands before and after using

[Sherman A1]

5. Thanks for the tip

[dalton99a]

6. +1. You are basically shaking hands with other people.

A lot of surface contact there

[cwydro]

7. Just use the paper towels provided at pretty much every station.

Not rocket science here.

[lagomorph777]

8. Definitely will if I need gas!

Fortunately, working from home, I'm hardly using any gas at all. Should be good for another month or two before a fill-up.

[42bambi]

9. I put my hand in a zip-lock bag and zip tight against my wrist...pump, pay, unzip and

toss in container next to tanks. I also put a very wet soapy, with a tad bit of bleach, washcloth in a zip-lock bag and put it in my car. Clean your hands, wipe door handles, shifting knob, steering wheel, and...my cell phone.

[Leghorn21]

11. Zip-lock gloves, bambi!!

Yer a certified stable genius, yep!!!

[wryter2000]

10. I plan to wear gloves when I have to get gas

And I'll either toss them or soak them in soap/bleach/water solution. And I sure as heck won't touch my face before I get home and can wash my hands.

[ffr]

14. Or own an electric vehicle, where 99% of your commuter recharging can be done from home.

EV owners never have to gas-up at a service station, so such visits for any reason are a rarity.

Yet another reason to go electric.

Your receptacle, controlled by and only touched by you.

[Alex4Martinez]

16. That's nice. Most people don't have EVs. Take care, then, with ATMS, handling cash, etc.

Keypads where you use a credit card, the door handles on any door you touch or the handles that you need to touch if you use a public EV charger.

[Kaleva]

15. I keep a bag full of small, plastic grocery bags in the back of the vehicle.

I put one or two of them over my right hand which I use to hit the keyboard, select the octane and handle the gas pump hose. When I get out of the vehicle, I put the card I'm going to use in my shirt pocket and I use my left hand to handle the card, the gas cap cover and the gas cap. After I'm done gassing and putting the hose back in place, I walk to the garbage can, hold my right hand over it and shake it so the garbage bag falls off into the can.

[roamer65]

17. I use the shopping bags from Kroger.

Wrap my hand in it and throw it away after.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Adding On

I'm using regular kitchen gloves, like for dishwashing.
I have a bottle of bleach containing cleaner.
After I pump gas, (or leave a store) I spray onto the gloves & mimic washing hands.
These product destroy viruses in seconds and then while still wet, I set them on a box to dry.
Now I can safely use the same gloves over & over.
Right now, I think disposables should be reserved for health care pros. So, I'm improvising best I can.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

19. Look into using an app to authorize the pump. The Mobil app works well. No contact with the

keypad required, just the nozzle and grade select button. No credit card swipe, no rewards number entry, no zip code entry, etc. Receipt prints automatically.