June 25, 2007 -- Your home may be germier than you think, new researchshows.
Out of 32 places in the home, the top spots for bacteria are the toiletbowl, kitchen drain, kitchen sponge or counter-wiping cloth, bathtub, andkitchen sink., according to a new study.
But only 3% of Americans think they're more likely to pick up germs fromtheir bathtub than from their garbage bins, a new survey shows.
The telephone survey included more than 10,000 people worldwide, includingabout 1,000 people in the U.S.
In the survey, few U.S. participants -- 5% -- answered "in the home" whenthey were asked where they thought children are most likely to catchinfection.
While infections can happen anywhere, the home has plenty of places werebacteria roost, according to the report.
Top Spots for Bacteria
The study and survey come from the Hygiene Council -- which is funded byReckitt Benckiser, the company that makes Lysol.
Researchers visited 35 U.S. homes, swabbing for bacteria in 32 locations ineach home.
Here's how those spots ranked, in terms of the average number of bacteriaper square inch. Spots with the same average number of bacteria have the samerank.
- Toilet bowl: 3.2 million bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen drain: 567,845 bacteria/square inch
- Sponge or counter-wiping cloth: 134,630 bacteria/square inch
- Bathtub, near drain: 119,468 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen sink, near drain: 17,964 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen faucet handle: 13,227 bacteria/square inch
- Bathroom faucet handle: 6,267 bacteria/square inch
- Bathroom sink, near drain: 2,733 bacteria/square inch
- Pet food dish, inside rim: 2,110 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen floor, in front of sink: 830 bacteria/square inch
- Toilet floor, in front of toilet: 764 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen countertop: 488 bacteria/square inch
- Bathroom countertop: 452 bacteria/square inch
- Garbage bin: 411 bacteria/square inch
- Dish towel: 408 bacteria/square inch
- Toy: 345 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen tabletop: 344 bacteria/square inch
- Home office phone or refrigerator door: 319 bacteria/square inch
- Toilet seat: 295 bacteria/square inch
- Bathroom light switch: 217 bacteria/square inch
- Microwave buttons: 214 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen chopping board: 194 bacteria/square inch
- Child-training potty: 191 bacteria/square inch
- Infant changing mat and infant high chair: 190 bacteria/square inch
- Kitchen phone: 133 bacteria/square inch
- Bathroom door's inside handle: 121 bacteria/square inch
- Toilet's flush handle: 83 bacteria/square inch
- TV remote control: 70 bacteria/square inch
- Home office computer keyboard: 64 bacteria/square inch
- Home office computer mouse: 50 bacteria/square inch
The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, orusing an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.
The FDA recommends mixing 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach into 1 quart ofwater for a homemade sanitizing solution -- or using a commercial sanitizer --to help keep kitchen surfaces clean.