How To Disinfect Top Of Red Bull or Soda Can If Cashier Touched It?

[Ronnym]

I use the self check out option for checking out. When I did this a while back, I had an issue with it. The person that was there then carried a few of my red bull bottles and put it in another area. It wasn't a cashier but someone helping out with the self checkout a while back. When he did this, he literally grabbed each of the bottles by the top part where you drink from and I was upset by it. Normally you aren't suppose to do that and grab it by the side.

Now when I drink Red Bull or any can, I typically rinse the top of it with water. Then drink from it. However, this bothered me a lot. The thing is I recently starting drinking with a straw because of this for my other cans after rinsing the top with some cold water. However, the issue here is even if I do that and use a straw, the part where you push to open the can, will touch the Red Bull even if I use a straw.

How do I disinfect the top part of the can safely so I can drink from it? I thought about boiling some hot water and pouring it on a paper towel. Then typing the top area of the can with the paper towel. Would that work or is that bad? I know the top of cans are generally disgusting and you should wipe it or rinse it with water. But since this person grabbed the cans right in the middle of it, I want to have it fully clean before I drink from it. I will use a straw but the issue is I don't think I can open the can in a way where that part you open doesn't touch a part of the Red Bull?

I have washed a can with fairy liquid before and then rinsed it with cold water, exactly like i would wash any other cup or cutlery etc. Why would soap get inside you? do you worry about this after washing your plates?

What do you mean you don’t want to drink washing up liquid either? You must wash your cups/cutlery/plates with washing up liquid.

I have severe anxiety and emetophobia and this is the kind of thing I used to worry about. Please get help. This is extreme, and no way to live.

You need to go and say all of this to your GP. You don’t need help disinfecting the drinks, you need help undoing these thoughts. There is help for this but indulging the intrusive thoughts is not a positive thing to do.

Other posters are correct about trying to get help for your anxiety. Unfortunately, red bull can increase your heart rate, which will make any physical symptoms of anxiety feel a lot worse.

What else do you like to drink, can we help with alternatives?

If you worry too much about germs and make your entire environment too sterile…

your own inbuilt immune system will become unbalanced and dormant.

germs are good for a healthy body- that body will deal with microscopic amounts of other people’s “ impurities”

Red bull, however is absolutely garbage for your body; I’d adress that first.

I suggested washing up liquid/soap but then said to rinse after, like you presumably do with dishes/cups. That said, I agree with PP that this level of anxiety must be truly horrible to live with and think that you should reach out for help.

Do you have your OCD diagnosed?

Germs and now soap.

Get some counselling and work on the anxiety. And Red Bull is the last thing someone struggling with anxiety should be drinking!

I can’t see red bull helping your anxiety. 😥 sorry.

I mean surely, the obvious solution would be to follow up with a small drink of very high alcohol content spirits. It would kill all the germs you potentially ingested.
Just stop drinking from cans if this is an issue. Or stop drinking Red bull drinks which are really bad for your health.

Agree ditch the red bull. It creates anxiety.

Whatever the red bull contains will be worse than potential germs on the can. Disgusting stuff. Get some help for your anxiety as this is not normal

I’m astounded that you are worried about a little bit of soap when you are about to drink a red bull tbh

when I was a kid my mum used to wash cans because of rats in the warehouse….

Oh @Ronnym if this is serious you really need to get some help for our health anxiety and OCD. What do you think happens where you can’t see the cans/bottles?

I really can’t see how one person moving the container could have contaminated anything n less they smeared shit across the flat top.

Do you really think that was the best thing to post on this thread?

Are you getting any help for your anxiety op? It must be exhausting.

With coke for example open water swimmers drink it kill off the bugs in the water it is it probably self curing. For Red Bull i think hard to believe anyone is more concerned about the outside of the can than what is in the inside.

I don't think giving the op suggestions for cleaning the can is helpful as we are feeding what is clearly an extreme mental health issue. Please please op go to your GP this is not normal behaviour.

Ask your therapist.

I don’t think that you have taken on board OP that there is no risk from the Red Bull can (well, except from its terribly unhealthy contents) or from frozen vegetables.

The issue here is that you have severe anxiety that is leading you to imagine/exaggerate risk in your surroundings.

This can have a devastating effect on a person’s life - resulting in terrible fear and withdrawal from normal life- and is much more dangerous than someone touching a can!

I hope you will visit your GP and discuss this- or if you have already done so, go back again for more support.

Just soap and water will kill any bugs.

I think people are being quite unsympathetic to the OP - telling them to ‘get a grip’ is not very helpful.

OP, I will join with other posters in gently telling you that this level of anxiety over the tops of bottles / cans is not rational or normal. It’s a clear sign that your anxiety has probably tipped over into obsessive, intrusive thoughts, and you really need to get some help for it before it dominates your life (if it’s not already). Please go and see your GP - show them this post - and reach out for some help.

To the person that said it has been touched many times before it go to me and there are rat droppings and mice that touched it. Yes I'm aware of that. The issue though is this happened right in front of me. To me, that is the big difference here. I don't drink Red Bull that often but I use that example because it is a can. It could also be a can of coke or anything. That is why I prefer to buy bottles where you open it. Red Bull is only in a can though.