Money is dirtier than most people think, but not as dangerous as the headlines suggest. One Oxford study found the average banknote carried around 26,000 bacterial colonies, including E. coli and salmonella. The good news for the UK: our polymer notes are about three times more hygienic than the old paper ones, and copper coins actively resist bacteria. For a healthy person the real risk is small, and it comes down to one habit: wash your hands after handling cash, especially before you eat.
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How dirty is money, really?
Cash gets handled constantly, passed from hand to hand, stuffed in pockets and tills, and almost never cleaned, so it is no surprise it picks up germs. A 2013 University of Oxford study put the average European banknote at around 26,000 bacterial colonies, and separate testing of US dollar bills found Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. Researchers have even described notes as carrying traces of everything from skin bacteria to faecal microbes.
As with the question of whether your phone is dirtier than a toilet seat, it pays to keep perspective. These counts sound huge, but most of the bacteria are ordinary and harmless, and finding bacteria on a surface is not the same as catching something from it. Money is grubby, and worth washing your hands after, rather than something to be afraid of.
Paper notes vs polymer notes vs coins
Not all money is equally grimy. What it is made of changes how well bacteria survive on it.
| Money type | Hygiene | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Old paper / cotton note | Worst | Absorbent fibres let bacteria cling and survive |
| Bank card and phone | Moderate to high | Touched constantly and rarely cleaned |
| Polymer note (UK) | Better | Smooth plastic, bacteria stick less and die faster |
| Copper coin | Best | Copper actively resists bacteria |
- Old paper (cotton) notes are the worst. Their fibrous, absorbent surface gives bacteria plenty to cling to.
- Polymer notes, which the UK now uses, are roughly three times more hygienic. Research from Harper Adams University found bacteria stick less to the smooth plastic and die off faster.
- Copper-based coins are the most hygienic of all. Copper has genuine antimicrobial properties, so bacteria survive far less well on coins than on notes, though they are not completely eliminated.
So the switch to polymer notes was a quiet hygiene upgrade, and loose change is cleaner than you might expect.
Is cash dirtier than a card or your phone?
Cash is not uniquely dirty, it is just one of several things you touch constantly. Your bank card, the card reader and PIN pad, and above all your phone all carry their own microbes. In fact your phone, which you hold against your face and rarely clean, often carries more than a coin does.
Contactless payment does cut the number of hands touching a note, but you still tap a shared reader and handle your phone or card afterwards, so no payment method removes the need for clean hands. The honest takeaway is that the surface matters less than what you do next.
Can handling money actually make you ill?
For a healthy person, the risk from handling money is low. Most of the bacteria are harmless, and simply touching a note or coin will not usually make you sick. Problems arise when contaminated hands then touch your mouth or your food without a wash in between, which is how germs like E. coli actually reach you.
That is why the group that has to be most careful is food handlers. Taking payment and then handling food without washing hands, or changing gloves, is a genuine cross-contamination route, which is why good food businesses separate the two jobs.
⚠️ Warning: If you handle cash at work and then touch food, wash your hands in between every time, or keep one person on the till and another on the food. It is the single most important habit for anyone dealing with money and food.
How long do germs survive on money?
It depends on the surface. Bacteria and viruses linger longer on absorbent cotton-paper notes, which give microbes moisture and texture to hold onto. On smooth polymer notes they die off noticeably faster, and on copper coins faster still, because the metal is actively hostile to them. Damp, warm conditions extend survival on any of them, which is another reason a note crumpled in a warm pocket is grubbier than loose change.
This mirrors what happens on other household surfaces: how long a germ lasts depends heavily on the material and the moisture, as we cover in our guide to how long germs live on surfaces. The practical upshot is the same either way, clean hands break the chain no matter how long the germ would otherwise survive.
How to handle money more hygienically
- Wash your hands with soap after handling cash, and always before eating. This is by far the most effective step, and our guide to hand sanitiser versus soap explains why soap wins when your hands are visibly dirty.
- Keep a hand sanitiser handy for when you cannot get to a sink, for example at a market stall or on public transport.
- Do not hold notes or coins in your mouth, and keep cash away from food prep surfaces.
- If you handle a lot of cash, moisturise. Frequent washing dries the skin, and cracked skin is harder to keep clean, so a hand cream helps.
- There is no need to “wash” polymer notes, but you can gently wipe a very grubby one with a damp cloth if you wish. Never put notes in the washing machine.
You cannot sterilise money, so the answer is clean hands. These cover you at home and on the go.
Myths vs facts
| Claim | The reality |
|---|---|
| Money is covered in dangerous germs | It carries plenty of bacteria, but most are harmless and the illness risk for a healthy person is low. |
| All banknotes are equally dirty | No. Old cotton-paper notes hold far more bacteria than the UK polymer notes, and coins less still. |
| Coins are the dirtiest form of money | The opposite. Copper in coins resists bacteria, so coins are generally cleaner than notes. |
| Using contactless keeps your hands germ free | You still tap a shared reader and handle your phone. Clean hands matter whatever you pay with. |
Frequently asked questions
How dirty is money?
Dirtier than most people expect. An Oxford study found the average banknote carried around 26,000 bacterial colonies, including E. coli and salmonella, and dollar bills have tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus. That said, most of the bacteria are harmless and the risk to a healthy person is low, provided you wash your hands before eating.
Are polymer notes cleaner than paper notes?
Yes. Research from Harper Adams University found polymer (plastic) notes are about three times more hygienic than old cotton-paper ones. Bacteria stick less to the smooth surface and die off faster, so the UK switch to polymer notes was a genuine hygiene improvement.
Are coins or notes dirtier?
Notes are generally dirtier. Copper in coins has antimicrobial properties, so bacteria survive far less well on coins than on absorbent notes. Coins are not sterile, but they are among the more hygienic forms of money.
Can you catch something from handling money?
Rarely, for a healthy person. Simply touching cash does not usually make you ill. The risk comes if contaminated hands then touch your mouth or your food without washing, which is why hand washing, especially before eating, is the key step.
Is cash dirtier than a phone or card?
Not necessarily. Your phone, which you hold to your face and rarely clean, often carries more bacteria than a coin. Cards and card readers carry germs too. No payment method removes the need for clean hands.
Should food handlers worry about cash?
Yes, this is the main at-risk situation. Taking payment and then handling food without washing hands is a real cross-contamination route. Good practice is to wash hands between the two tasks, or keep one person on the till and another on the food.
Can I clean or wash banknotes?
You can gently wipe a very grubby polymer note with a damp cloth, but there is no need to routinely clean money. Never put notes through the washing machine. The more useful habit is washing your hands, not the cash.
Did handling cash spread COVID?
The risk from banknotes was assessed as low by health bodies, who stressed that respiratory spread and unwashed hands mattered far more. The sensible advice then and now is the same: wash your hands after handling cash and before touching your face or food.
