How much bacteria is lurking in your home?
Despite the common thought that the toilet is the most bacteria-infested spot in the home, think about the last time you cleaned the games controllers?
A new study revealed that a third of people think the toilet is the most germ-ridden place in the home, however play equipment, games consoles and sofa arms are found to be far more contaminated.
According to the study, conducted by Domestos and UNICEF to raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis, the grubbiest items were located in the garden with children’s play equipment such as trampolines (bacterial count of 640,000 per 100cm2), bicycles (14,000 per 100cm2) and balls (14,000 per 100cm2), showing to have particularly high levels of bacteria.
Dr Ackerley, who conducted the study with her team of hygiene experts and swabbed everyday items for E. coli, APC and Enterobacteriaceae, said: “Hand washing is probably the most cost-effective and simple way to reduce disease whether in the UK or in the rest of the world. Literally, our safety, and that of others, is in our hands. By making sure we have clean hands, we prevent passing our germs on to others, and we can make sure that we don’t get sick from infections left behind by other people.”
Three out of five people believe children come into contact with the most germs when at nursery or at school. However, the hygiene study revealed we should be more aware of the germs lurking on our own sofas, with sofa arms found to be on average a staggering 12 times more contaminated than the average toilet seat.
The games controller was another site harbouring lots of germs in a small space. In fact, the average games controller had a bacterial count of 7,863 per 100cm2, which is nearly five times that of the average toilet seat. Perhaps unsurprising given less than a fifth (16 per cent) of games console owners admit to only giving their controllers a wipe less than once a month.
Good hygiene during snack time is of pivotal importance as the snapshot study revealed the average fridge handle was over four times as dirty (7,474 per 100cm2) as the average toilet seat.
A fifth of those Brits surveyed predicted a child’s favourite toy would be one of the most germ-ridden objects in the family home, as it’s so frequently used and moved from room to room. However, the research reveals beloved teddies and other favoured toys receive regular TLC, with almost a third of people admitting to cleaning their kids’ toys at least once a week. Despite regular cleaning, the average favourite toy is still 1.5 times dirtier (2,549 per 100cm²) than the average toilet seat.
Clemence Brunet from Domestos, said: “It’s alarming to see that despite the care we give our favourite toys and household items, they’re still grubbier than the average toilet seat.
"But it is far more shocking that about 2.5 billion people around the world do not have access to clean toilets. As an established household brand that helps protect families from germs, it is our responsibility to take action to improve access to clean toilets all over the world. That’s why we’ve teamed up with UNICEF to support sanitation programmes in communities that need it the most, and to help improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families.”
Tagged in Health