A study at Aston University revealed that the inside of your car is likely to have more bacteria than your toilet.
Here’s what they found, and how you can prevent this from happening.
The study was conducted by swabbing various areas of cars that hadn’t been cleaned recently, with some models being older, and some being more modern.
You may expect the high contact areas to be the worst, the gear stick, steering wheel and car doors, but you would be mistaken.
Study Findings
- Every car trunk had more bacterial contamination than recently used toilets.
- Steering wheels were consistently one of the cleanest parts of the car that were tested. This was attributed to people being more likely to use hand sanitizer and wash their hands thoroughly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fecal matter (poop particles) were found in every single car swabbed, with the highest concentration being found in the trunk of the car, and the driver's seat.
- The bacteria found posed a significant threat for diarrhea, vomiting and food poisoning.
The Data
After taking swabs of several cars, here are the results of the average amount of bacteria found in each area of the car.
1. Trunk - 1,425 bacteria identified
2. Driver’s seat - 649 bacteria identified
3. Gearstick - 407 bacteria identified
4. Back seat - 323 bacteria identified
5. Dashboard - 317 bacteria identified
6. Steering wheel - 146 bacteria identified.
The Bacteria
Here is a list of the most commonly found bacteria in cars, and what danger the bacteria poses to you.
- E. coli (Escherichia coli) - A particular cause for concern, as E. coli can cause an infection from ingesting small amounts. Food that makes contact with an infected area (e.g. quickly dropped onto car seats) can be particularly dangerous.
- Pseudomonas (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) - This bacterium poses a significant threat to vulnerable people, particularly those with open wounds or undergoing medical surgery. It is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
- Staph. Epi (Staphylococcus epidermidis) - These microbes are found on every person's skin. However, they can cause infections for immunocompromised people and have been described as “opportunistic, accidental pathogens”.
- Staph. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) - The infection of this bacteria is commonly known as a Staph infection, causing boils, blisters and redness of the skin.
- Rhodotorula (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa) - A common environmental yeast that can occasionally cause serious infections.
How To Prevent Bacterial Contamination
To prevent your car being dirtier than your toilet, consider routinely giving your car light cleans, and schedule in a deep clean or book in with a detailing specialist.
- Clean spills as soon as possible.
- Vacuum your car weekly/biweekly depending on necessity.
- Shampoo your upholstery routinely.
- Have a detailer give your car a full steam clean, leaving it looking show ready.
- Avoid eating in your car when possible.
Visit this helpful article to find out how to routinely clean the interior of your car.
If you’d like advice on how to clean your car seats properly, follow this guide for leather seats, or this one for any other material.
Source
https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/study-reveals-inside-your-car-dirtier-average-toilet
