Flight attendants say this is the most germ-infested part of an airplane, so pay attention

Ever felt less-than-stellar after taking a flight? From constant exposure to germs and circulated airplane air, air travel is rough on even the strongest person’s immune system. But those of us who cringe at the thought of coming into contact with germs should know there are certain parts of airplanes and airports that are germier than others.

In an experiment for TravelMath, a scientist collected and tested samples from four flights and five airports to measure germ content.

Of the 26 samples he collected, the microbiologist determined that tray tables are by far the grossest part of a plane, with 2,155 colony-forming bacteria.

Yes, that’s dirtier than the airplane bathroom. Which, to be honest, isn’t that surprising –– people clean the airplane bathrooms.

But the tray tables are rarely — if ever — sanitized, according to a Reddit Thread in which flight attendants revealed the secrets of the job.

How many people have you seen using tray tables as something to sleep on? Touching it every time they wanted to eat or drink something? One Reddit commenter even saw a woman change a baby’s diaper on one.

So heads up: Next time you fly, bring a few wipes and give your tray table a good wipe-down before use. Your white blood cells will thank you.