Your Keyboard Has More Germs Than Your Toilet Seat

A typical keyboard is infected with an astonishing 3,295 germs per square inch, according to researchers. That makes your keyboard much dirtier than your rubbish bin - or even your toilet seat. And scientists have uncovered a vile assortment of bugs and viruses festering on keyboards in homes and offices across the UK.

The equipment you touch is grubby with urine, blood, hair, food particles, nasal droppings, saliva and worms.

Bugs such as listeria and salmonella linger for up to 24 hours on fingertips - and can survive for a similar period on keyboards. Some parts of the keyboard carry higher infection risks.

Illnesses which can be transmitted via the computer keyboard include skin diseases, rashes, eczema, fungal infections, diphtheria, thrush, herpes, gastroenteritis, gum disorders, pneumonia, hepatitis and blood poisoning.

Food poisoning bugs such as e. coli, staphylococcus aureus, coliforms and enterobacteria are prevalent on dirty keyboards, putting users at high risk of becoming ill.

Samples of urine and saliva we find are passed on by direct finger contact. Remember, 41 per cent of men and 19 percent of women do not wash their hands after using the lavatory.