These parts of your home that could have more bacteria than a toilet seat - and what to do about it

Kate Ng
Updated
Unmade empty bed with white linens. Sheets and pillows in the apartment or hotel after a night's sleep. Dirty and crumpled blanket in the hotel.�
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... Your bedsheets could be hosting more bacteria than your toilet seat. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

If you think you clean your home enough, you might want to think again. A new study has revealed that certain surfaces can harbour more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat - including in your bed and kitchen.

Laboratory analysis of swabs taken across six different areas in the home - including toilet seats, kitchen surfaces, bed sheets, kitchen light switches, TV remotes, and laptop or computer keyboards - found that the average kitchen surface hosts the most bacteria out of all these areas.

Shockingly, the study by Churchill Home Insurance identified very high levels of Streptococcus and Enterobacter, two types of bacteria that can lead to serious infections, living on kitchen surfaces.

This was in direct contrast to people’s expectations, as nearly half (46%) believed kitchen surfaces to be the cleanest part of the home.

In a finding that will make you want to strip your bed immediately, bed sheets were found to be the second most bacteria-filled area. This was followed by TV remotes, which the study said was the "household hotspot for Enterobacter".

Streptococcus is a bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections. Meanwhile, Enterobacter is found in faeces and has the potential to cause pneumonia and bloodstream infections.

Cropped shot of a young woman cleaning the kitchen counter with cleaning spray and cloth at home during the day
People say they clean kitchen surfaces more than most other surfaces, but these areas are still prone to harbouring bacteria. (Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Sarah Khan, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: "Our research shows that people can’t be complacent when it comes to cleaning the home. Even the areas people wipe down most often, such as kitchen countertops, – can harbour huge amounts of bacteria, so making sure you’re using the right products, along with cloths that are clean, and being thorough is vital to reduce health risks.

"At the same time, washing bed sheets and cleaning hands regularly and thoroughly will help to ward off dangerous bacteria, particularly as we head into autumn and winter, when illnesses and bugs are more commonly picked up."

These are the areas in your home that may require a bit more attention:

Making sure you wash your bedsheets regularly and on the hottest setting can help keep nasties at bay. (Getty Images)
Making sure you wash your bedsheets regularly and on the hottest setting can help keep nasties at bay. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/Image Source)

Beware: You may want to change and wash your bedsheets before going to sleep tonight or you could be in for a nightmare after reading this.

The data shows that bedsheets harbour "very high" levels of Streptococcus, compared to "moderate" levels found on a toilet seat. Meanwhile, Enterobacter was also found on bedsheets in "moderate levels" - less than kitchen counters, but more than the "low" levels on toilet seats.

Churchill Home Insurance also conducted a survey that revealed that people are most likely to wash their bedsheets at least every fortnight, while 29% do so once a week.

However, 7% admitted they only wash their bedsheets once every two months or less. When divided by region, the data found that, shockingly, 26% of Londoners only washed their bedsheets every one to three months, while those living in the North East and North West were most likely (70%) to wash them at least once every two weeks.

Experts say you should wash your bedsheets once a week to keep nasties at bay. They should be washed using the hottest wash setting to kill germs and bacteria.

I don't need a magic wand, I've got my hands
Using antibacterial or disinfectant cleaners on kitchen surfaces can help keep the area clean and free of bacteria. (Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Despite the kitchen being the place people cleaned the most frequently, according to the survey, kitchen surfaces were found to harbour the most bacteria overall.

The second highest count of Enterobacter was found on kitchen surfaces, which suggests people are not using methods that are sufficient enough for removing bacteria when cleaning their kitchen.

The presence of so much harmful bacteria on kitchen surfaces is particularly worrying because food is prepared and cooked in this area - which could lead to food poisoning.

Yeast and mould were also identified on kitchen surfaces as well as on kitchen light switches in "very high" and "moderate" levels respectively, highlighting the importance of thoroughly cleaning these areas.

You can reduce the spread of germs and bacteria by making sure you wash your hands thoroughly after visiting the toilet and before preparing, serving or eating food. You should also use the right cleaning materials, such as disinfectants and anti-bacterial cleaners that usually come in spray form.

TV remotes host a surprisingly high level of bacteria, so it's a good idea to wipe them down regularly. (Getty Images)
TV remotes host a surprisingly high level of bacteria, so it's a good idea to wipe them down regularly. (Getty Images) (Getty Images)

When was the last time you cleaned your TV remote? You may want to grab an antibacterial wipe, because in the living room, the TV remote was found to be harbouring "low" levels of Streptococcus, but worryingly "very high" levels of Enterobacter.

In fact, the TV remote was found to host 15 times more Enterobacter than the average toilet!

As the TV remote is a frequently used item and tends to be touched by multiple members of the household, it's important to clean it regularly. Antibacterial wipes would be perfect for the job.

Read more about cleaning:

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