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Your TV Remote Could Be 20 Times Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat

room remotecontrol

TV remotes, one of the most used items in the home, could be swimming in thousands of colonies of bacteria and yeast, 20 times dirtier than a toilet seat.

Despite experts recommending people clean their TV remotes at least once a week, the research shows Brits are failing to do so, with more than two thirds admitting to never cleaning theirs (67%) meaning they could be covered in potentially harmful bacteria.

Sofa and carpet specialist, ScS, swabbed TV remotes, toilet seats and carpets in various locations to reveal the levels of aerobic bacteria, yeast and mould particles hidden within.

Test items and their levels of infection (Colony Forming Units per cm2*), where 0 = no bacteria:

  • TV remote (290)

  • Bin lid (262)

  • Bedroom carpet (140)

  • Living room carpet (52)

  • Toilet seat (12.4)

The TV remote came out as by far the dirtiest of those in the experiment, with the combined bacteria and yeast levels reaching 290 CFU per cm2 (colony forming units per cm2), as well as heavy mould.

*Levels of yeast colonies on surfaces measured using table A:

Shockingly, the TV remote harboured over 2000% more bacteria and yeast than the toilet seat, which showed to harbour 12.4 CFU per cm2 and light levels of mould.

The experiment also revealed that the bedroom carpet is home to high levels of bacteria, yeast and mould, with 140 CFU per cm2.

*Levels of infection on surfaces measured using table B:

Bella Middleton, Founder of Norfolk Natural Living shared her thoughts on the findings: “When you consider how often you touch your remote control, it is not at all surprising that it is less hygienic than your loo seat. It also isn’t an area that you would particularly think to clean on a regular basis. Food for thought when checking into a hotel room or staying in hospital – just think how many other people have used that remote control before you, especially if they haven’t washed their hands after using the bathroom.”

“The best way to clean quick wipe with a cloth dampened with lavender scented vinegar, is all you need. I always avoid potentially harmful chemicals in favour of safer natural alternatives. Vinegar is a great universal natural cleaning product; it will also disinfect and degrease your remote.”

Dale Gillespie, Head of Acquisition at ScS, commented: “The results of our research are shocking, with TV remotes in particular being shown to harbour extreme amounts of bacteria, yeast and mould. The TV remote is often neglected when it comes to cleaning yet has been revealed to be one of the filthiest items in the home.

“It’s shocking to see just how dirty remotes really are, especially considering that this is an item that most people, and children, interact with every day. Everybody should make an effort to give it a regular quick clean from now on.”

To find out the ten dirtiest items of the home and how to clean them, visit: https://www.scs.co.uk/lifestyle/cleaning-confessions

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