Smartphones and tablets have more germs than a toilet seat
Research by Which? finds worryingly high levels of potentially harmful bacteria on gadget screens
WASHING your hands before answering a phone call may not be practical but it could be a good idea. Consumer group Which? has revealed the results of tests it carried out on 60 smartphones and tablets - and they show worrying high levels of germs.
The tests found many devices carried far higher levels of bacteria than are found on the typical toilet seat - simply because users have not washed their hands enough.
One tablet tested had a count of 600 units per swab of staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium which can create toxins that cause
vomiting and diarrhoea, the Daily Mail reports. The average toilet seat has a count of less than 20.
Which? also found high-risk levels of enterobacteria, a germ family which can include E. coli and salmonella, on 15 of the devices. Five of the devices had an enterobacteria count of 1,000 units per swab - a typical toilet seat has less than 10 units per swab.
James Francis, the microbiologist who carried out the research, said: "A count of 600 on a plastic device of any sort is incredibly high. Itindicates that some people don't wash their hands a lot."
"In the food industry, if we found those levels of bacteria from a hand swab of a food handler, they'd have to be taken out of the workplace and retrained in basic hygiene."
Which? editor Richard Headland said: "It’s shocking that a smartphone or tablet can harbour more germs than a toilet seat. Gadgets should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly to avoid germs that could lead to illness."
Gadget manufacturers including Apple discourage users from wiping their devices with alcohol-based cleaners as these can damage screens Headland advised using a damp, soft, lint-free cloth without