Grim germ hotspots in your home with up to six times more bacteria than toilet seat
New research has revealed that some areas of our homes have up to six times more bacteria than a toilet seat, with many Brits admitting to never cleaning them
If you pride yourself on having a clean home, it appears it could be far dirtier than we realise.
Despite our best efforts, some areas are regularly overlooked in our daily clean-up.
New research from Initial Washroom Hygiene reveals that everyday touch points such as light switches, oven doors, kettles, and door handles are the worst offenders for microbial contamination. This data was collected from a swabbing study conducted across a sample of homes.
The study exposed the grim reality that many Brits confess to never even wiping a cloth around the most used touchpoints in their homes. It also suggests that deep cleans may be falling out of favour.
While a bit of dirt never harmed anyone, high levels of bacteria can harbour all sorts of nasties you wouldn't want to find in your home. Ironically, most of us spend more time cleaning our toilets than we do wiping over everyday areas that could contain up to six times the amount of bacteria.
The scientific assessment employed an ATP bioluminescence reader to detect levels of biological life not visible to the human eye.
Alongside the swabbing exercise, a consumer research survey of over 2,000 respondents was also undertaken to uncover the cleaning habits of Brits, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Despite light switches being among the most frequently touched items in our homes, a shocking one fifth of those surveyed confessed to cleaning them only once a year or even less. Even more startling, 8% admitted they have never cleaned their light switches.
The swab tests revealed that a whopping 60% of light switches tested had over 500 ATP units, indicating a high level of contamination. Door handles were not far behind, with 65% surpassing 500 ATP units and averaging a reading of 995, nearly double the normal level.
Adding to the hygiene concerns, 41% of Brits confessed they don't always wash their hands upon returning home each day. A worrying one in 10 said they never sanitise their kettle handle, and 13% admitted to not cleaning their electric toothbrush for six months or longer.
Our TV remotes and gadgets didn't fare much better. Gamers in the North West (22%) and Midlands (19%) are the worst culprits for leaving consoles uncleaned for a year or more.
Alarmingly, a fifth (19%) of parents with children under 10 said they cleaned their games consoles once a year or less.
Modern-day life, coupled with extended work hours, have seen the tradition of thorough 'spring cleans' in our homes fall out of favour.
Jamie Woodhall, who represents Initial Washroom Hygiene, commented: "Whether or not you plan to conduct a deep clean of your home at some point during the year, it's important to think about where biological life may be accumulating. So a regular clean with an antibacterial wipe of remote controls, door handles, game consoles, and so on, is advisable."
He further advised: "Bacteria good and bad are naturally present in every household, but to help protect loved ones and reduce the risk of illnesses spreading, people should remember to clean everyday items that are regularly handled and high touchpoint surfaces. It doesn't take long if you make it part of a cleaning routine, and combined with regular handwashing, can make a real difference in helping to create healthier, safer living environments."
