It’s hard to walk around medical clinics, schools, restaurants, or even general office buildings these days without seeing hand sanitizer stations attached to wall after wall. Germ awareness is more prevalent than ever before — and for good reason. Hidden beneath the sheen of the ordinary, lies a teeming world of bacteria—microscopic tenants that inhabit some of the most unsuspecting places. As we go about our daily routines, little do we know that we’re brushing shoulders, quite literally, with an invisible menagerie of microorganisms. And yet despite this heightened awareness, there are still so many places we overlook when it comes to staying sanitized. Perhaps even more concerning is that so many of still fail to wash our hands regularly and properly.
To that end, we wanted to remind you about seven common spots where bacteria are not just visitors; they’re thriving locals, places you might never suspect are hotbeds for microbial life.
The journey through our bacterial compatriots’ favored haunts is as surprising as it is enlightening. From the sleek surfaces of our tech gadgets to the cozy corners of our handbags, bacteria make themselves at home in spaces where cleanliness appears to reign. The revelation of these microbial metropolises challenges our conventional wisdom on cleanliness and sheds new light on the ubiquitous nature of these organisms.
But fear not—this exposé is not a call to arms (or antibacterials) in a war against the microscopic. Instead, it’s an invitation to marvel at the resilience and ubiquity of bacteria, and perhaps to rethink our strategies for cohabiting with them. Or quite simply, the act of washing your hands can go a long way considering how much bacteria you unwittingly bathe them in. Here’s a look at seven places you might not realize are crawling with bacteria:
1. Smartphones
If you’re like, well, pretty much everyone, your phone constantly finds its way into your hands. Experts estimate that people who use their phone frequently wind up touching the screen 5,000 times per 24 hours! Research shows that smartphones harbor bacteria like Staph and E. coli. A report from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology warns our handheld gadgets also contain elevated levels of cat and dog allergens.
Most people rarely clean their phones. Considering how devices sit on so many different surfaces, then go into pockets or handbags, join many of us in the bathroom, and then get pressed firmly onto your face — it’s no surprise our smartphones are very likely a key source of bacteria entering the body.
2. Kitchen sponges
Kitchen sponges are moist and contain nutrients for bacteria. Consider this: the average kitchen sponge carries more bacterial species than a lab Petri dish, according to one study.
The structure of the sponge makes it a very friendly place for microbes to live Sponges often sit at room temperature allowing bacteria like E. coli to thrive. Are you cleaning your sponge off with soap before and after use, and replacing your sponge frequently?
3. Water bottles
Reused water bottles can contain mold and bacteria especially if they are not washed thoroughly. Letting them air dry after washing promotes more bacteria growth. According to WaterFilterGuru.com, the average reusable water bottle carries 40,000 times the amount of bacteria as a toilet seat!
Different types of reusable water bottles can also harbor different levels of bacteria. Spout-top and screw-top lids carry the most bacteria of all water bottle types, with 30 million CFUs each.
A squeeze-top water bottle had 6,000 times the bacteria of a toilet seat. Experts recommend washing your bottle daily and sanitizing it at least once a week.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/7-things-dirtier-than-your-toilet-seat/