Let’s be honest, TSA bins are just disgusting. Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock After years of traveling with a small arsenal of technology (usually a phone, iPad, laptop, and a portable gaming console), I like to think I’m pretty efficient when it comes to getting them out of my bag at TSA checkpoints. But it’s still a pain to hastily repack them while putting on my shoes, grabbing my belt, and trying not to hold up the line of people behind me in the process. Going through airport security can be a little stressful and the last thing you’re probably thinking about is how to properly store loose items in plastic bins. But we should all be a little more aware of that, especially when it comes to our phones. For one thing, leaving your phone with all your other stuff is an easy way to lose sight of it while you’re trying to rush to your next flight. But there’s also another important factor to consider as to why we shouldn’t leave our phones, the only device we constantly touch and hold close to our faces, unprotected. And it has to do with basic hygiene. The containers are disgusting. I’ve never worked as a TSA officer, nor do I know anyone who has, but I’m pretty sure the bins are rarely cleaned. I can understand why: when you think about the hundreds of thousands of people who pass through US airports daily and how short-staffed the TSA can be, it would take a lot of time and manpower to sanitize the containers and return them to the security lines. But you don’t have to be a germaphobe to realize how messy those things can be. A lot of people touch them, they often have dirty shoes in them and you never know if someone is sick and putting their infected gear in there too. Some studies even show that they can be a haven for viruses and bacteria. So if you want to avoid having last-minute travel companions, you should make sure your phone is not in direct contact with the containers. Herstockart/Getty Before you get to the X-ray machine, you can put your phone in your carry-on luggage or in a jacket pocket that you place inside a container. The same advice applies to any other small items you need to check out for TSA, like wallets and keys. And of course, be sure to wash your hands or have hand sanitizer ready to use when you finish security. Contamination is harder to avoid with larger electronics, as most TSA checkpoints still require you to remove laptops, tablets, and portable game consoles from your bags and place them in a separate bin (unless the line you’re in has a CT scanner that allows you to leave everything inside). There’s not much you can do there, but at least everyone should have their own cases that protect them from the elements.
