Health and hygiene: You are going to be shocked when you learn that your reusable water bottle carries 40,000 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat! Shocked? Here is more. The bed sheet and pillow covers are no less dirty. They are hiding millions of bacteria, germs and fungi. And in fact it is scientifically proven that toilets at home are cleaner and more germ-free than the bed sheets and pillows that we use daily.
That ‘dirty’ water bottle
It may sound shocking but according to a study, a water bottle contains twice as many germs as the kitchen sink, four times the amount of bacteria as a computer mouse and 14 times more than a pet’s drinking bowl. These contaminated bottles may infect more than contaminated products like toys and bags.
The study further says that the bottle caps are the cleanest part of the bottle, with a tenth of the amount of bacteria. And if you are wondering how to prevent yourself from these bacteria, researchers say that users should wash the bottle at least once a day with hot soapy water, and sanitize it at least once a week.
Two types of bacteria infest different parts of the bottle – gram-negative rods and bacillus. Bottle parts include the spout lid, screw-top lid, stray lid and squeeze-top lid.
Bed sheets are hotbed of bacteria
Millions of bacteria, germs and fungi grow on our bed sheets that we normally think are clean. It has been scientifically proven that the toilets at home are cleaner and more germ-free than our bed sheets and bed pillows.
Researchers asked some people to use new sheets and pillowcases for four weeks. Then the samples of their sheets and pillowcases were put under a microscope. The study showed that a month-old bed sheet can contain more than 10 million bacteria, 6 times more than on your toothbrush stand.
Similarly, there can be 90 lakh bacteria in a 3-week-old bed sheet, 50 lakh bacteria in a 2-week-old bed sheet and 45 lakh bacteria in a 1-week-old bed sheet.
Pillows are dirtier
Pillows are even dirtier. Face and hair touch the pillow most of the time causing sweat and dead skin cells to stick to it. A 4-week-old pillow cover has 12 million bacteria. Similarly, there are about 5 million bacteria in a 1-week-old pillow cover.
Doctors advise to change our bed sheets and pillow covers every week.
lso Read: Ananya Panday looks alluring as she gets ready for sister Alanna Panday’s wedding; watch video
For all the news updates subscribe to our YouTube channel ‘DNP India’. You can also follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER.
