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 would say if you do feel the need to disinfect them either wash in hot soapy water or get Milton/sterilising tablets and use it as you would for sterilising babies bottles. You can also but Milton wipes (I used to use them to clean my daughters dummy when she dropped it on the floor). But this does seem rather extreme tbh.

I don’t like to add to your concerns but you do know how bad those types of drinks are for you, the top being touched by someone else is the least of your worries.

Stop drinking caffeine and get help, this is utterly ridiculous

OP, I’m guessing from your use of soda and sidewalk, that you are not in the UK. We are recommending visiting your GP, because in the UK that would be the pathway for referral for appropriate mental health assessment and support. Who is it that you need to seek help from?

Coke, like red bull contains caffeine, as does Starbucks, and most fizzy drinks contain a lot of sugar or artificial sweetener. Unfortunately, none of these are good for you. Can you drink water or herbal teas, at least some of the time?

I would probably wipe it on my jeans just to get any bits off but that’s the end of any other thoughts I’d have on it.
please speak to your gp and get some help for your ocd /healthy anxiety.

I have never thought about washing the top of a can. Usually cans are kept in a cold fridge which would kill a lot of germs anyway, plus then you pour it into a glass.

What exactly is it on the can that you are concerned about? I mean specifically?
We are surrounded by microbes, bacteria, moulds … we cannot live without them. To live on our planet means living with microbes. Yes to avoiding the most harmful - but we live in symbiosis with many of them whether we like it or not.

Milton wipes. They’re used for disinfecting baby dummies on the go. Wipe for 30 seconds and it will disinfect and it’s safe for you to drink from.

In answer to your latest question, if I dropped my drink can into a puddle I’d probably swear, give the top a wipe off on my clothes to dry it then open it and hope it doesn’t fizz right up. I’d have no issues drinking from it and it wouldn’t have even occurred to me to consider washing a drink can before this thread!

Are you taking on board the comments everyone is making? You say you have had OCD for sometime - it may be worth letting your mental health team/counsellor/doctor know about these thoughts and feelings so they can check you don’t need additional support.

I have never in my life rinsed a can, or even THOUGHT to rinse a can 🤷‍♀️
I have also never seen anyone rinse a can.

Drinking Red Bull is probably way more of a concern than anything that touched to top of the can.

It’s already safe to drink from

To answer your question OP, if I dropped a can in a puddle I'd just wipe it off with my sleeve and drink up.

It wouldn't bother me but it clearly does you so my idea is to buy some concentrated lemon juice (you can get it from Sainsbury's) and use a few drops to clean the cans. Rinse with cold boiled water if you think it will affect the taste.

You’re not wrong. I once saw a dog cock his leg and a have a wee all over a crate of Coca Cola bottles. Was a hot summer and the crate was in a pile waiting to be taken into the pub. I haven’t had a can or bottle without washing / worst case a straw, since then.

Never heard of the 5 second rule? Germs dont stick if contact was less than 5 seconds, everyone knows that 😉

But seriously, unless the can landed in dog shit i wouldn't give it a second thought. This level of germ phobia is fairly debilitating OP, I'm in agreement with everyone else that you should look for some help to manage it a bit.

Definitely agree that it's not normal to be that anxious and therapy would likely be beneficial for you, or as people have said milton fluid or even white vinegar on wipes in a ziplock would be good for removing germs.

I am the opposite in that I dropped an open can of red bull on a dug over bed at my allotment the other day, brushed the dirt off as best I could and drank the rest even knowing some dirt got inside the can 😅

If I dropped something on a pavement I would probably rub it on my clothes and figure it's fine as long as it didn't visibly fall in dog poo, then it would go in the bin.

You do realise that cans and bottles aren’t kept in sterile conditions? They are stored in warehouses and travel in lorries. I should think that if you’re this anxious about cleanliness a shop workers hands are the least of your worries. Oh, and rinsing something with water doesn’t kill germs.

Sorry but I fail to take someone seriously who claims they’re that anxious about the top of a can considering said can contains redbull. I mean seriously come on!

OP I am heavily immune suppressed (less than six months post transplant) and I’ll tell you what I consider needs to be taken into account wrt infection (and with professional advice thrown into the mix).

I don’t:

Pick food up if I drop it - five second rule doesn’t apply and it has to be binned.

Don’t buy from the bakery in supermarkets where all the bread/rolls/cakes are uncovered. All and sundry has touched them.

Eat from buffets (ditto, and you never know how long they’ve been out) and similar apply to breakfast buffets etc.

drink out of a cup/glass someone else has drank from previously. Even if it’s not from the same side.

I don’t drink from the glass in restaurants but request a straw which is still wrapped, and if it isn’t then I have my own metal straws which go in my dishwasher.

There’s more, and as time goes on some of that (not all though) will start to relax.

But I’ve drank out of plenty of cans and it’s not concerned me what might happen.

If I dropped the can, then I would probably wipe it down with a detol wipe, open it and pour it into a glass.

This thought about the tab touching the drink is disproportionate, even for someone like me.

Dear lord. That’s bonkers

Get a pack of Isopropyl Alcohol Wipes (IPA Wipes) or sterile alcohol swabs to carry around with you and swab the top of any questionable container before you drink from it? 70% should be ample; you can find multipacks at Boots, Superdrug, etc. or if you feel you need something stronger try Amazon or any commercial retail medical supplier.

You know that lots of people have touched the cans that you drink from normally but that is okay, you want to do something about these particular cans because it happened in front of you and you saw it. So that picture is in your mind. Is that right? Just wondering if you can do something symbolic to wipe the picture in your mind away rather than focusing on disinfecting, which it doesn’t need anymore than any other can you’ve ever drunk out of. If you could take that approach to ease your anxiety it sounds like it would make your life easier?

If a can dropped in a puddle, I’d probably wipe it on my jeans. Could you try and do something like that?

🤣

I hope one day you will look back to this moment (that feels like nothing to so many) with none of the worry and anxiety you feel now. It's tough.

Until then, how about a food safe antibacterial cleaning product, like Dettol? A quick spray on a piece of kitchen roll, a wipe to the top of the can, and the rinse under water if you really want to make sure you also get rid of the chemicals.

I agree this sounds like anxiety. When it is a hygiene issue (such as when ‘D’ cat has decided to lick something they shouldn’t!) I use soap and water, or if I’m concerned something is grubby when I’m out and about, I use an antibacterial hand wipe. Always have a pack in my bag (a habit I got into when DD was a baby)

Why are you mentioning Red Bull bottles in your OP then? Rather confusing and very over the top behaviour. Stop drinking that crap for a start.

If you have anxiety, you shouldn't be drinking red bull. You are focused on the wrong thing.