How Dirty Is Your Money? And Should You Be Washing It?

Do you remember watching people paddle around in swimming pools full of money in cartoons? Or watching winning game show contestants kiss giant wads of cash in front of a live studio audience?

Maybe don’t be too jealous — that money was crawling with germs.

But don’t be too alarmed either. As infectious disease specialist Kruti Yagnik, DO, explains, it’s extremely unlikely that your money will make you sick, and you definitely don’t need to wash dollar bills or coins.

How contaminated is cash?

Your wallet’s a petri dish, but that doesn’t make your money dangerous. Remember that part, because this is about to get a little gross.

According to a 2023 review, researchers found all sorts of crud on coins, bank notes and payment cards, ranging from the common cold and cocaine to salmonella and the virus that causes polio.

They also found norovirus, which is mostly transmitted via the fecal-oral route.

Yep, that’s right: There’s poop on your money. And plenty of other things you’re better off not thinking about. But Dr. Yagnik says you’re more likely to make yourself sick reading about contaminated money than you are to get sick from touching it.

Why is money such a good carrier?

Your dollar bills, coins and cards are crawling with germs because — like door handles, car keys and phones — they’re “high-touch surfaces.”

“Even things that don’t circulate widely, like your credit cards, still frequently pass from your hands to someone else’s, back and forth,” Dr. Yagnik explains. “Wallets and handbags are hot spots for germs, too.”

Your money’s also a great place for microorganisms like viruses, bacteria and fungi to make a home for themselves because it:

• Circulates throughout the population for years
• Often gets exchanged in spaces that are higher risk for disease transmission, like concert venues, medical offices and food service facilities
• Has teeny crevices that germs can cozy up in

It seems like a simple equation. If money’s covered in germs, it’ll make you sick … right?

Turns out, it’s not that simple.

Does handling money make you sick?

The likelihood of getting sick from a contaminated bank note, coin or card is extremely low, even if you’re immunocompromised. Dr. Yagnik points out that most viruses, bacteria, mold and fungi don’t spread through casual contact.

“Even for highly infectious conditions like COVID-19, the risk of actually getting sick from touching money is extremely small,” she reports.

A 2022 study had participants who were sick with COVID-19 cough on a dollar bill and hand it to a volunteer. That volunteer touched the bill — and then touched their face. The study findings estimated that COVID-19 would successfully transmit through cash handling fewer than once in 107 years.

The risk is higher for cashiers because they come into contact with money more often. But the study found their risk was still low — fewer than one successful transmission every 21 months.

Was that study perfect? Definitely not. Is it still helpful for understanding relative risk? Absolutely.

“The bottom line is, you’re far more likely to get sick from a customer not covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze, or while taking care of a sick loved one,” Dr. Yagnik clarifies. “We take risks every day, and handling money isn’t a big one.”

So, yes, your cash is probably covered in crud. But it’s not likely to make you sick.

Should you wash your dollar bills or coins?

The money laundering jokes practically write themselves, but no: Washing your dollar bills and coins isn’t recommended for infectious disease prevention. The risk of transmitting an illness through money handling is too low — it’s not worth your time.

But there are risks involved in washing dollar bills and coins, in particular. You risk:

• Destroying your currency
• Removing security features, like holograms or special inks
• Having your cash flagged as counterfeit
• Decreasing the value of a rare bill or coin

If a bank note is damaged, stained or visibly grimy, try exchanging it at your local bank. Otherwise, try not to think about the germs it’s hosting.

What should you do?

The world is a germy place — and cleaning your money doesn’t change that. Instead, focus on boosting your immune health and practicing infectious disease prevention strategies while you’re out and about.

Dr. Yagnik says you can further decrease your chances of getting sick while shopping when you:

• Make cashless payments
• Wipe down your credit and bank cards after using them
• Avoid touching your face until you can wash up
• Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with warm water and soap throughout the day — including before and after a shopping trip (and after using the bathroom, of course!)
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when you can’t access soap and water

If you’re still uncomfortable, masking up and wearing nitrile gloves is also an option. But it may be more helpful to talk to a provider about your concerns.

“If your worries about germs and contamination are negatively affecting your life, we can help you address them,” Dr. Yagnik reassures. “We can also share research-backed tips to improve your immune health, so you can feel more confident interacting with both your money and other people.”