Your Steering Wheel Is Dirtier Than a Toilet

Ladies, whether your car smells like fresh linen and has cup holders that have never met a crumb, or it looks like a mobile garage sale with a hint of latte foam, there’s one part of your ride that’s secretly living its best biohazard life: your steering wheel.

According to the folks at Plates Express (yes, apparently this is a thing), your steering wheel is the grimiest spot in the whole car. Yep — grubbier than the floor mats, sketchier than the gas cap, and filthier than a porta potty at a summer music festival.

Let that sink in.

Most of us are great at the basics — we toss out Timmy’s cups, vacuum the dog fur (ish), and maybe even spritz a little dashboard cleaner around if we’re feeling inspired. But the one thing we’re grabbing every single day? Completely ignored.

Now picture this: you touch your face, fiddle with your phone, unwrap a granola bar, sneeze like a maniac, and then, right back to the steering wheel you go. Germs love that kind of party.

All it takes is a once-a-week wipe with an antibacterial cloth or a car-safe cleaner to stop your wheel from becoming a petri dish on wheels.

But let’s be real: a survey by CarRentals.com revealed that 32% of people only clean their car once a year. And 12% are just out here living wild, never cleaning at all. We’re guessing those also microwave fish at the office.

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And because this wouldn’t be complete without a Gen Z mention (bless them), a Lemonade survey showed that 54% of them admit to eating while driving, 32% drive when they’re exhausted, 15% get into full-blown arguments mid-commute, and 13% think it's fine to chauffeur their pet in their lap.

So yes, your steering wheel might be gross — but at least you’re not balancing a chihuahua and a cheeseburger while driving through a thunderstorm.

Moral of the story? Clean your wheel, keep your eyes on the road, and maybe leave the emotional debates for when the car’s in park.