I've heard that the most disgusting place in the home/office is the bathroom doorknob. Our butts our pretty clean, because they're in our pants all day. So sitting on a toilet seat isn't that bad. But the doorknob... everyone touches it...

I've heard that the most disgusting place in the home/office is the bathroom doorknob. Our butts our pretty clean, because they're in our pants all day. So sitting on a toilet seat isn't that bad. But the doorknob... everyone touches it...

Jimmy; While that is generally assumed to be the case, certain metals, notably brass, are inherintly bacteriostatic. There's something about the alloy that kills germs quickly and efficiently. If your door has a brass handle, consider yourself safer, but certainly not safe.

Jimmy; While that is generally assumed to be the case, certain metals, notably brass, are inherintly bacteriostatic. There's something about the alloy that kills germs quickly and efficiently. If your door has a brass handle, consider yourself safer, but certainly not safe.

Bacteriostatic? What does that mean? It kills bacteria, or it's too slippery and the bacteria fall right off?

My understanding is that bacteria can thrive wherever there is water. So if someone touches the doorknob with wet hands, it is a bacteria haven.

Although I guess metal, being smooth and non-organic, wouldn't be as good a host as, say, moldy food or a wooden shelf. Most of the water will drip off, I guess, or stick to the hands of the next person who uses the knob.

Bacteriostatic? What does that mean? It kills bacteria, or it's too slippery and the bacteria fall right off?

My understanding is that bacteria can thrive wherever there is water. So if someone touches the doorknob with wet hands, it is a bacteria haven.

Although I guess metal, being smooth and non-organic, wouldn't be as good a host as, say, moldy food or a wooden shelf. Most of the water will drip off, I guess, or stick to the hands of the next person who uses the knob.

Dave, brass and copper corrode rapidly with the influence of water. The material CopperSulphate is often flushed down the toilet to clean the pipes. It probably has an antibacterial quility, after all it is poisonious.

Dave, brass and copper corrode rapidly with the influence of water. The material CopperSulphate is often flushed down the toilet to clean the pipes. It probably has an antibacterial quility, after all it is poisonious.

Slim Jim, you got it pretty much right. Metals are essentially nonoxidized salts (meaning that if you oxidize a metal, you get a salt...therefore, in the absence of oxi...you get the idea).
Salts are a big "no-no" if you're a single cell organism. We've probably all seen what table salt does to a slug (I found out myself while still a youth, and felt really, really, really bad for the dying creature, so I poured water on it...rinsed the salt off, but drowned the slug). Salts upset the entire osmotic potential of the critter, makes them very mad...so mad, they die. Well, okay, that's obviously not the true mechanism, but why bore you with osmolarity if you don't already know?

By the way, as I went to hit "Down The Drain!" I realized that I'm probably lying through my teeth about my answer, but I'm about to eat Corned Beef and Cabbage (HAPPY ST. PAT'S DAY!) so the real answer will have to wait for a bit.

Besides, it makes sense, so why fight logic?

Slim Jim, you got it pretty much right. Metals are essentially nonoxidized salts (meaning that if you oxidize a metal, you get a salt...therefore, in the absence of oxi...you get the idea).
Salts are a big "no-no" if you're a single cell organism. We've probably all seen what table salt does to a slug (I found out myself while still a youth, and felt really, really, really bad for the dying creature, so I poured water on it...rinsed the salt off, but drowned the slug). Salts upset the entire osmotic potential of the critter, makes them very mad...so mad, they die. Well, okay, that's obviously not the true mechanism, but why bore you with osmolarity if you don't already know?

By the way, as I went to hit "Down The Drain!" I realized that I'm probably lying through my teeth about my answer, but I'm about to eat Corned Beef and Cabbage (HAPPY ST. PAT'S DAY!) so the real answer will have to wait for a bit.

Besides, it makes sense, so why fight logic?

Look, I don't give a damn about germs and rusty doorknobs. All I know is if I smell it, I taste it. If I smell poop while I'm eating then my food will TASTE LIKE IT!!! I'll risk ebola and eat at my desk.

Look, I don't give a damn about germs and rusty doorknobs. All I know is if I smell it, I taste it. If I smell poop while I'm eating then my food will TASTE LIKE IT!!! I'll risk ebola and eat at my desk.

"If I smell it, I taste it." I had a picture of your nose taking involuntary control of your body... your head whipping around at the barest scent of shit, your face diving nose-first down to the shit-scented doorknob, your tongue licking the disgusting (yet bacteriostatic) handle while your mind screamed in futile protest.

"If I smell it, I taste it." I had a picture of your nose taking involuntary control of your body... your head whipping around at the barest scent of shit, your face diving nose-first down to the shit-scented doorknob, your tongue licking the disgusting (yet bacteriostatic) handle while your mind screamed in futile protest.

Ha ha!!!! Ew!

Ha ha!!!! Ew!