When we think about the germiest place in our house, we think of the bathroom – in particular, the toilet seat. Thankfully, there are high tech toilet seats (also called bidet seats) available in the market which keeps your toilet germs free every day. Considering what it goes through on a daily basis, it must be a total breeding ground for harmful bacteria… But did you know, there are far more items and surfaces in your home that have more germs than your whole bathroom put together?

What’s even more terrifying, you’ve probably already touched one of these today without washing your hands… Someone get me some hand sanitiser.

Your cutting board

Think about it, all that raw meat you’ve chopped up over the last year! Recent studies have shown that the standard chopping board has 200 times more E. coli bacteria than your toilet seat. Fecal bacteria originates in animal organs, so each groove your knife has left in the board has created a cosy little breeding area for all those dodgy germs. Make sure you are thoroughly cleaning it after every use using hot water and washing up liquid. And every now and then, it can’t hurt to soak it in a sink of hot water with 2 tablespoons of bleach.

Your mobile phone

I hate to break it to you, but your smartphone and tablet contain twice as many harmful bacteria than your toilet seat. A study in 2013 discovered that 140 units per swab of staphylococcus (commonly known as staph) thrive on our phone screens. Staph is a bacteria that can cause very serious stomach pains and sickness, and you’re far more likely to catch it from your mobile than you are your toilet seat which had less than 20 units per swab. Yuck! Don’t forget to give your phone a wipe with an antibacterial cloth every now and then.

Your tap handles

Ever wondered why so many public toilets introduced motion sensored taps? It’s because tap handles can harbour up to 44 times more germs than your toilet seat. Who knew washing your hands could be so…dirty? Disinfect your taps and sink at least once a day to make sure washing your hands isn’t actually having the opposite effect.

Handbags

We carry our bags on public transport, put them on the dirty ground, and touch them with unwashed hands. It’s no surprise that they become infested with stomach churning bacteria! Handbags are often 10 times dirtier than a public toilet seat, yes, a public one! With the handles being the dirtiest, the contents can get just as dirty too such as lip glosses and purses. Many handbags have been known to actually carry stomach viruses, so make sure you are washing it regularly with an antibacterial substance.

Clean laundry (Yes, really!)

So many people forget to clean the machines in their home that actually do the cleaning. The washing machine is one of the most bacteria infested places in your home, with dirty underwear transferring around 100 million E. coli bacteria – the culprit behind stomach viruses. Your washing machine remains moist which creates a paradise for the breeding of dodgy bacteria, whereas your toilet seat is far too dry to support that kind of environment. The bacteria transfers to all your clean clothes making them not as clean as you thinkā€¦ It pays to put your machine on a long hot wash (without any clothing) with a couple dashes of bleach at least once a month.