Is Blowing Out Candles Basically Spitting on Your Friends?

In case you haven't noticed, the birthday cake tradition is a major germ spreader!

Something else that might be gross to some is blowing out birthday candles on a cake. You might not realize it, but people, especially kids, aren’t the best at blowing out candles without spraying germs everywhere. On average, blowing out candles leads to a 1400% increase in bacteria on the cake. And while not all bacteria are harmful, when they are, it can get worse the longer you wait to eat the cake. Waiting two hours or more after someone blows out the candles can increase the risk, as bacteria keep growing over time, decreasing the cake’s shelf life.