Which is Cleaner: The Average Public Toilet Seat, or the Average Home Kitchen Countertop?
Here’s a quick germ question: What’s cleaner: the average public toilet seat, or the average home kitchen countertop? If you said countertop, think again! In a recent study, 85% of public toilets tested were cleaner than in-home food prep areas. In fact, the average kitchen surface contains 10 times more bacteria than a toilet seat! Why? According to the London Daily Mail, it’s mostly because people don’t wash their hands properly after working with raw meat or using the bathroom. And unwashed hands are the primary carriers of various germs and pathogens, like E.coli and salmonella.
Over 10,000 people took part in the study, which focused on basic hygiene principles. Like how often people properly washed their hands after using the bathroom. Meaning, 30 seconds with hot water and soap. The result? Only one in four men, and one out of two women washed up properly. Then, researchers tested for germs around each volunteer’s house. They found enough bacteria to make people ill on things like light switches, door handles, and the cutting board in the kitchen.
So, what’s the absolutely germiest place in the kitchen? The tray on a baby highchair! A staggering 60% of baby highchair trays were found to be contaminated with Coliform bacteria. Which comes from fecal matter, raw meat, dirt, or unwashed vegetables. In fact, in all the homes tested – every single one - the floors were cleaner than the highchair trays. And 40% of those floors were actually clean enough to serve food on! So, what’s a homemaker to do? Clean the kitchen surfaces that come in contact with food at least once a week with hot water and bleach. You – and your whole family – will be healthier for it.
