Update: Unfortunately this Kickstarter was cancelled in mid-July. We'll be out shortly with some great alternatives!
Anyone else feel like they're playing high-stakes poker every time they grab a shopping cart by the handle? I know I can wipe the handle down, try not to touch my face while I shop, douse in hand sanitizer the second I leave the store, but still. Discovering the Kickstarter for Handle Pop, your own set of silicone covers that pop onto your shopping cart handles, actually got our entire team excited and that should tell you a whole lot about 2020.Related: The best way to clean and disinfect you phone
It's not a new idea -- way back when (like, 2008) we shared several handmade supermarket cart covers designed for parents trying to separate their babies from those high-traffic, high-touch surfaces. Now, the need is back again. So this husband-wife team smartly designed handles that eliminate the need for antibacterial wipes and disposable gloves. Great news for anyone concerned with reducing waste. Or anyone who still can't find wipes in the store anyway, sigh. Besides, I often have to bring my young kids with me to the grocery store, so I love that Handle Pop comes in a bright blue color so I can say, "Hands stay on the blue!" You know, instead of having to explain germ theory while I'm trying to shop.Related: A hand sanitizer we love, without the price gouging
Considering a supermarket cart handle may have 270 times more bacteria than a toilet handle (eek!), I think Handle Pop will be helpful even as our new normal sets in and we remain hyper aware of what's lurking on every surface. Especially during cold and flu season. So this should be one purchase that definitely maintains its usefulness even after COVID-19 is over.
I'm hoping that means sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed.
has given me a little reassurance about protecting myself -- and my kids, if they're in tow -- from germs even on this high-traffic, high-touch surface. Handle Pop is a silicon cover that pops onto shopping cart handles so that you can avoid touching the handle itself, and it's funding now on Kickstarter.
The Handle Pop Kickstarter is already fully funded (whoo!), but you can still pledge money to reserve a pair at a nice price. Handle Pops are slated to ship in September. 
