Germ count: Some everyday objects that are dirtier than the toilet seat

With germs existing practically everywhere, no surface is clean enough.

New Delhi | December 3, 2019 02:10 PM IST

3 min read

Enough with the toilet seat debate. You are exposed to dirtier objects on a daily basis. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

If you are a germaphobe, stop reading right now — you have been warned. Knowing that nothing out there is clean enough, and germs exist everywhere and on everything, can trigger all kinds of anxiety. What’s worse is that while on the surface it may look all clear, there are actually more germs on these everyday objects than on a toilet seat.

The keyboard

Wipe your keyboard clean so you do not pick the office bug. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

Yes, your computer keyboard, which you use every day. Typing away at a maddening speed while having your lunch, can make you pick up the office bug. In fact, according to some British researchers, keyboards have five times as many germs as are found on toilet seats. Wash your hand before eating, keep cleaning the keyboard and use a hand sanitizer whenever necessary.

Your smartphone

The very same device you are glued to all day, every day. According to a 2018 study conducted by Initial Washroom Hygiene, it is believed that phones are more than six times dirtier than toilet seats, more so when they are brought inside the washroom. Stop doing this already. Leave them out, and clean the screens from time to time using a soft clean cloth.

The carpet

If you have a rug at home, clean it every now and then. The bacteria that resides in it, feeds on the dead skin cells that human beings shed from time to time. Food bits and pet dander also make the carpet a comfortable residence for the bacteria. It, therefore, has way more germs than the toilet seat.

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Faucet handle

After you are done with your ‘business’, you wash your hands, leaving as many as 21 times more bacteria on the washroom faucet handle, than on the toilet seat. And the kitchen faucet handle is believed to have 44 times more bacteria. Disinfect and clean them regularly, so the disease-causing bacteria don’t reach you.

Elevator buttons

With so many strangers pressing the buttons, an elevator is bound to be harbouring germs. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

With so many people taking the elevator and pressing its many buttons, they are bound to be harbouring germs. While it may seem rude and funny to wipe buttons every time you step in — especially in public elevators and office spaces — you can clean your hands with a sanitizer later.

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