# Dirty Gym Bags **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359 "2012-02-10T01:20:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/21 "2012-02-10T14:17:01Z")
I say you ought to dump the old bag! What? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/22 "2012-02-10T14:20:43Z")
Why can’t he just put it on the floor when he gets home, like a normal human? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/23 "2012-02-10T14:21:47Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I agree with you, that the gym bag is dirty and shouldn’t really be anywhere except on the floor. One caveat, though - your purse is just as dirty. 🙂 Heh - I know objectively that this is true and that my purse is filthy, but that’s just one of those things in life that I choose to ignore because really, who needs that in their brains? I suggest giving the gym bag the same treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/24 "2012-02-10T14:30:41Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Heh - I know objectively that this is true and that my purse is filthy, but that’s just one of those things in life that I choose to ignore because really, who needs that in their brains? No-one, but nevertheless this is fun and relevant reading: > **[6 Items You Touch Everyday That Are Filthier Than a Toilet](https://www.cracked.com/article_17495_6-items-you-touch-everyday-that-are-filthier-than-toilet.html)** > > One person in the office gets the flu, and soon everybody in their row has it. And as paranoid as people think they are about germs these days, with their antibacterial lotions and careful hand-washing after even briefly touching their genitals, the... ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/25 "2012-02-10T14:30:56Z")
First off, Tim needs to stop putting his bag on the bench in the locker room. The bench is for people to sit on and his bag doesn’t need to take up that room. Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine - guys who go to the gym and then can’t go to the effort of bending over to get something out of their bag on the floor so the bag takes up space on the bench. Get your giant nasty bag off the bench so I can sit down! Once something has been on the top of the lockers it needs to be burned. Otherwise I am mildly in agreement with Tim’s wife. Not a big deal once in a while but a habit would be annoying. Same with putting shoes on the bed (ewww) and purses too. In the end, she asked, there’s no good reason why he needs to do this = time to stop. Then the wife has to let it slide once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/26 "2012-02-10T14:38:41Z")
If it’s physically _dirty_, then it’s probably not smart to be putting it places where it can transfer dirt to other surfaces. But germs? They’re everywhere anyway - including the air you’re breathing right now. Don’t put the gym bag on a dinner plate, or a chopping board, but otherwise, this whole ‘germs are invisibly lurking everywhere to KILL YOU!’ thing is just tiresome phobic hype, largely whipped up by the people who want to sell you cleaning products. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/27 "2012-02-10T14:38:49Z")
1. Buy new bag 2. Fill bag with gym stuff (shoes, water bottle, clothes, et al) 3. Place full gym bag in car. 4. Husband goes to gym, places bag in locker like a normal human being should. 5. Bag stays in locker so as not to get in others’ way. 6. Bag gets filled again with gym stuff and goes in car. 7. Clothes come out of bag at home to get washed, bag stays in car. 8. New clothes are brought out prior to next trip to gym. 9. Repeat step 4. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/28 "2012-02-10T15:36:18Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Urine is sterile so it won’t cause problems, but do you want to sleep in it? Urine is sterile while it’s in the bladder (unless the person has a urinary tract or bladder infection), but not necessarily after it’s been sitting around. ---
**Author:** ![This\_Just\_In\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@This\_Just\_In\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_Just_In_2)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/29 "2012-02-10T16:02:32Z")
I don’t worry about germs getting on my bag at the gym. The bag probably gets worse from sitting on the floor of my vehicle (we have small children). However, I have had unpleasant thoughts that the lockers at a gym would be an ideal transfer place for bed bugs that may have hitched a ride from someone elses home/gym gear. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/30 "2012-02-10T18:13:21Z")
If my gym bag isn’t visibly dirty or wet and doesn’t stink, then I don’t worry about it. By which I mean that I put it in about the same places I’d put most items; it doesn’t warrant special consideration. It’s on either our bed or the couch when I’m loading it up because bending down to floor level to do so is awkward. Hell, I think I’ve even set it on the kitchen counter recently without a second thought - and upon giving that action a second thought my reaction is to simply shrug. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359/31 "2012-02-10T19:34:24Z")
If the bag isn’t dirty or smelly I wouldn’t have any qualms about putting it on the bed or other furniture. Those locations already have plenty of germs so the gym bag isn’t going to make any difference. I wouldn’t put it on my kitchen cutting board, but then there are lots of things I wouldn’t put directly on surfaces that are going to be used to prepare food. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dirty-gym-bags/612359.md?page=1)