Just what are people doing with their phones?
The consumer group Which? has reported today that mobile phones can harbour 18 times more living bacteria than a flush on a men’s toilet. A hygiene expert who swabbed and analysed 30 handsets for the study found seven had warning or high levels of environmental bacteria.
One harboured levels of bacteria, including faecal coliforms, high enough to give its user a serious stomach ache. Which? said “the findings suggest millions of UK mobiles would exceed the recommended acceptable levels of bacteria. While not immediately harmful, elevated levels indicate poor hygiene and can act as a breading ground for more serious bacteria.”
Hygiene expert Jim Frances told Which?: “The levels of potentially harmful bacteria on one mobile were off the scale. That phone needed sterilising.”
Karen Harrison, Marketing Manager at cleaning company AF International says: “A study by the University of Arizona highlighted some shocking facts about the cleanliness of the average desk a few years ago, stating it can harbour up to 10 million germ microbes. The telephone carries the most microbes with up to 25,000 per square inch compared with 49 on a typical toilet. This recent study once again reiterates the need for cleaning.”
29-Jul-2010
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