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Home and Garden on Female First
Jeyes Fluid has teamed up with TV’s Tommy Walsh and BBC hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley to carry out an environmental report to reveal the shocking amount of bacteria that lives on garden furniture, barbecues, children’s play areas and garden tables.
They recorded the levels of bacteria microbes around the garden and found that almost all areas of the garden that had regular contact with hands or food harboured very high levels of bacteria. In fact four out of the six areas tested, including bin lids and barbeques had more bacteria than the average toilet seat. The report also revealed that 71% of Brits say that they clean their kitchen table daily yet only 28% clean their outside table more than twice a year.
The report also showed that despite the time and effort we spend keeping the indoor areas clean and germ free, most house-proud Brits overlook cleaning the garden. 1,400 people took part in the poll overall and only a third said that they clean their patio tables more than twice a year and 36% scrub their barbecue to the same frequency. Relatively, 71% said that they clean their kitchen table every day, and 42% clean their toilet daily.
High levels of microbes in the garden were found, this included sinister organisms and bacteria such as e-coli, salmonella and listeria, which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea and can be particularly dangerous for the very old and very young.
The report highlighted the need for regular garden cleaning with a specialist disinfectant. Jeyes Fluid is a multi-purpose product that will keep your garden clean and germ free. Barbecues were found to be the dirtiest surface overall in the garden with a staggering 1.7 million microbes per 100cm2. This was found in the food preparation area and is significantly more than the average amount found on a toilet seat which is 759,950 microbes.
Bin lids, which also appeared clean was the next highest bacterial count with 1.2 million microbes per 100cm2. This is a potential risk for those that forget to wash their hands when taking the rubbish out.
BBC hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley said: ‘We often see our gardens as an extension to our homes but they could become a reservoir of harmful bacteria, potentially giving rise to illness and infection if transferred to your food or your mouth by your hands. To help keep the family safe, I would suggest cleaning and disinfecting garden furniture and barbecues prior to use and, if you have small children, then remember to clean areas that may come into contact with their hands, such as play equipment and decking. Using an appropriate disinfectant, such as one from the Jeyes Fluid range of outdoor cleaning products, could significantly reduce this risk and lead to a healthier, safer outdoor experience for all.’
Celebrity builder Tommy Walsh teamed up with Jeyes Fluid to create some tips for a cleaner garden. He says that ‘a simple scrub of the barbecue with Jeyes Barbecue Cleaner, a spray of the children’s play areas with Jeyes Fluid Ready-to-Use, and a quick wash of the path or patio with Jeyes Fluid Path & Patio can be complete in less than 30 minutes with Jeyes range of garden disinfectants. This leaves you lots of time to enjoy the summer in a safe and clean outdoor environment.’
Jeyes Fluid does a range of different outside cleaners to ensure that your garden remains germ free and safe for your children. Next time you look at that garden table through the window, clean it. It might look clean but it could be riddled with bacteria, better to be safe than sorry.
Tagged in Home Garden Home & Garden