Photo from Digital Trends

Shreya Thiagarajan

Most people are quick to point to the toilet as being the “dirtiest” thing in their houses. After all, it comes in contact with bodily excretions, so it must house the most bacteria, right?

Studies show that it may actually be your cell phone that is the dirtiest item you own. It is estimated that your cell phone is likely home to ten times more bacterial colonies than the toilet seat is, one study showing that the typical cell phone has nearly 1500 bacterial “hotspots” compared to only around 200 on a toilet. You may think, “a toilet seat probably has more dangerous or infectious bacteria because it has more exposure to bodily fluids.” However, one in six smartphones have come into contact with fecal matter, and several strains of harmful pathogens like Streptococcus (responsible for strep throat), E. coli, and MRSA (antibiotic resistant Staph) have been discovered on phone screens as well. 

The smartphone may be much dirtier than a toilet because it is carried nearly everywhere and comes into contact with several different surfaces, including your own face. It is also not cleaned as often as a toilet seat may be. This gives bacteria in contact with the phone screen the opportunity to accumulate and spread to other surfaces. To keep your phone clean, it is recommended that you wipe the screen with microfiber cloth sprayed lightly with an antimicrobial solution weekly to prevent excessive bacterial growth! 

https://time.com/4908654/cell-phone-bacteria/

https://yourhealth.augustahealth.org/2018/11/07/fact-your-cell-phone-is-dirtier-than-a-toilet-seat/

https://phys.org/news/2019-03-smartphone-dirtier-toilet.html

https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-toilet-seat/