This article was originally run on Aug 3, 2009
According to germ experts, your toilet may actually be much dirtier than it looks.
Scientists at the University of Colorado have released the results of a multi-million dollar study that proves bacteria flourish in places most people would never imagine. The list includes six surprising, germ-breeding spots that might make you run for the doors.
Toilets, no place for a drink
That glistening toilet could be filled to the brim with the finest sparkling champagne, but germs have no concept of quality. From the lowliest hovel to the grandest mansion, toilets are disgusting wherever you go.
“A fly mixed into your mayo would get you sick almost every time.”
So don’t even think of taking a sip. “No matter how nice the bathroom looks, there are 3 million microbes per inch in a toilet,” said Blake Hsu, PhD, a professor of microbiology at UC Boulder.
That’s trash, not treasure
And if you were thinking of eating your next meal from the garbage, forget about it. Trash cans, packed with stale food, mucous-filled tissues, and remnants of last night’s love-making session may seem clean. But beware.
Those discarded leftovers are dirtier than they look. The population of microbes in a kitchen trash receptacle might not be as high as a toilet, but the variety is staggering. The combination of proteins, fatty acids, fermentation, and warm moisture are like a buffet for microorganisms.
A dumpster lunch might be just what the doctor ordered.
Pet pellets are not playthings
As much as they love their pet, many cat owners would be surprised to learn the litter box is not a place to let the kids play. Toxoplasmosis parasites are not the kind of playmates you want your child making friends with.
But don’t laugh dog owners. It probably isn’t a good idea to wrap your lunch in used doggy duty bags either. A gram of dog feces is crawling with 20 million E. coli cells. So go ahead and spring for a Ziploc sandwich bag. Those extra pennies may just save your life. . . . Read on »
