Why your cellphone is dirtier than a toilet seat

[Hum]

Cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats, so it shouldn't be surprising that a man in Uganda reportedly contracted Ebola after stealing one.

He stole the phone from a quarantined ward of a hospital, near the site of a recent Ebola outbreak, reports said.

But regardless of your proximity to an Ebola outbreak, your cellphone is still probably pretty grimy, said Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona.

"They've got quite a bit on them," Gerba said. "When's the last time you cleaned your cellphone?"

While toilets tend to get cleaned frequently, because people associate the bathroom with germs, cellphones and other commonly handled objects ? like remote controls? are often left out of the cleaning routine.

Cellphones pick up germs all the time, Gerba said. "I see people talk on their phone on toilets."

However, the amount of germs on a phone isn't a problem ? it?s the sharing of phones between people. Without sharing, each phone carries just one set of germs, and won't get its owner sick, Gerba said.

The problem with phones is that we're in constant contact with them, and they spend a lot of time in close proximity to our faces and mouths. And, because it's an electronic device, most people are hesitant about cleaning them.

This is also this case with remote controls, which, Gerba noted, are also often used by people when they're sick. Remotes are more frequently shared, too, so they're usually even worse than phones for spreading germs, he said.

Other common culprits that are hotspots of unseen disease include office phones, shopping carts and the first-floor buttons of elevators, he said.

To limit the spread of diseases from phones or other objects, try not to share them, or wipe them down with an antibacterial wipe if you do. While sprays might damage the equipment, a gentle wipe should do the trick, Gerba said.

source

[Growled Member]

Cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats, so it shouldn't be surprising that a man in Uganda reportedly contracted Ebola after stealing one.

He certainly got what he deserved.

[The Rev]

I know it's gross but I've used my cell on the toilet.... But only before I actually touch anything dirty... Like, I'll unbuckle my belt and such with the designated "dirty hand" and put my phone away before I start "cleaning" so I tend to avoid getting TOO too much on my phone...

Anyways, I understand why people are so insane with washing their hands and sanitizing and such but in all honesty, if you don't live in 3rd world countries, which obviously this story is about, you probably shouldn't be so crazy about washing your hands constantly... If it's not said 3rd world country, and you're not super young, old or infirmed, you could honestly use more everyday germ exposure... If you are really psycho about washing your hands, you're not building a ton of immunity against common viruses and bacteria... That and the whole "treating the sniffles with powerful antibiotics" routine is killing our immunity. That's why we've got diseases like Methicillin Resistant Staph Aurous, Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci, and Clostridium Difficile.

Most people would be safe washing hands before you eat and after u go to the bathroom, and after touching potentially infectious material, like raw meat, trash, etc.... And if in healthcare, after you are exposed to blood and body fluids. Other than that.... You're probably a little too paranoid. If you ever find yourself just randomly washing your hands before you're doing anything that will put you at risk for infection, you're probably overdoing it.

[Hum]

I'm running my phone thru the washer now :wacko:

[remixedcat]

I keep my paws clean.

[Growled Member]

I'm running my phone thru the washer now :wacko:

I hope you dry it before you try to use it again. :p