Reusable Water Bottles Hold 40,000 Times More Bacteria Than A Toilet Seat: Study
It is true that a study conducted in 2018 by the online marketplace Treadmill Reviews found that reusable water bottles can harbor significantly more bacteria than a toilet seat. The study involved swabbing the lids and straws of 12 water bottles used by athletes, comparing the results to the number of bacteria found on a toilet seat.
The study found that on average, the water bottles contained 313,499 colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria per square centimeter, while a toilet seat only contained an average of 1,201 CFUs per square centimeter. The study also found that certain types of bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus and E. coli, were present in some of the water bottles.
It is important to note, however, that not all bacteria are harmful to humans, and some bacteria are actually beneficial. Additionally, the study did not investigate the source of the bacteria found on the water bottles, so it is unclear whether the bacteria came from the users’ hands, the environment, or elsewhere.
Despite this, it is still important to regularly clean and sanitize reusable water bottles to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria. This can be done by washing the bottles with hot, soapy water and using a bottle brush to clean hard-to-reach areas. Additionally, some reusable water bottles are dishwasher safe, which can help sanitize them more effectively.
As Per a New Study:
Reusable bottles can contain over 40,000 times more bacteria than the typical toilet seat, according to recent research.
Two species of bacteria, gram-negative rods and bacillus, were discovered when a team of researchers from the US-based waterfilterguru.com swabbed three times each the spout lid, screw-top lid, stray lid, and squeeze-top lid of water bottles.
“They are objects that can’t betray us,” Australian Catholic University clinical psychologist and hoarding disorder expert, Associate Professor Keong Yap, said, comparing the phenomenon with objects children use to soothe anxiety (like stuffed toys). “They are reliable and predictable, unlike people who can hurt us,” Mr Yap added.
According to their study, some bacillus species might cause gastrointestinal problems, whilst gram-negative bacteria can cause infections that are becoming more difficult to treat with medications. According to their comparison of the cleanliness of the bottles to other household items, they can harbour twice as many germs as a computer mouse, four times as many as a kitchen sink, and fourteen times more than a pet’s water dish. The researchers advised sterilising and rinsing reusable bottles at least once a week with hot, soapy water.
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