May 1st, 2008
Is your keyboard dirtier than a toilet seat?
According to research carried out by consumer group Which? some computer keyboards are home to more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat.
Consumer group Which? said tests at its London offices found equipment carrying bugs that could cause food poisoning.
Out of 33 keyboards swabbed, four were regarded as a potential health hazard and one harboured five times more germs than one of the office’s toilet seats.
Microbiologist Dr Peter Wilson said a keyboard was often “a reflection of what is in your nose and in your gut”.
During the Which? tests in January this year, a microbiologist deemed one of the office’s keyboards to be so dirty he ordered it to be removed, quarantined and cleaned.
It had 150 times the recommended limit for bacteria - five times as filthy as a lavatory seat tested at the same time, the research found.
Among the nasties found on keyboards were E.coli and staphylococcus aureus. Yuk!
Why are out keyboards such a bio-hazard? Several factors seem to be at work:
- Eating at the desk
- Not washing hands properly
- Not cleaning the keyboards regularly
I tend to give all keyboards here a good clean out regularly, using a vacuum cleaner and alcohol wipes. Even with regular cleaning though, my keyboards aren’t something I want to have a close look at.
Enjoy your day in front of a keyboard!
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Adrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
