Is your toilet cleaner than your kitchen sink?

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008

A new study from a group of environmental scientists suggests it might well be, according to the news agency Associated Press.

The scientists, working on behalf of a cleaning products manufacturer, took samples from 20 family homes in seven regions including the UK – and their findings were alarming.

Internationally, 90 per cent of kitchen cloths, 46 per cent of kitchen sinks, 38 per cent of bathroom sinks and 14 per cent of children’s toys had a total bacteria count of more than 100,000 per square centimetre.

Professor John Oxford, a virologist at St Bartholemew’s and the Royal London Hospital, led the study. He is also chairman of the UK’s Hygiene Council – read its recommendations here.

He warned that families put great effort into cleaning toilets but not nearly as much time into keeping their kitchens clean: “You could eat your dinner in a US toilet but there is a lack of appreciation that kitchen sinks can be contaminated with faecal organisms, either coming in with fruit and vegetables or from pets and children.”

The moral of this tale: wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. And disinfect high-risk areas, which apparently includes your bath every bit as much as your toilet.

Dispense with all your horrible old cleaning cloths and replace them, as this is where many of the nasties live. Or give them a one-minute spell in the microwave, as this is a sure-fire way to kill bacteria.

(Except you probably don’t want to do that with the bathroom ones.)

Now feeling inspired to have a good clean?

Here are our top ten products to help you keep your bathroom in a sanitary state and cut down on harmful bacteria:

Deluxe steam mop from Woolworths – £59.99. Light and easy to use, with continuous high-temperature steam at 110 degrees Celsius to clean and sanitise tiles, vinyl and wood laminate floors.
Steam Bee from JML – £29.99. Easy to use, lightweight and powerful and great for cleaning and disinfecting your home. A continuous jet of superheated steam uses ordinary water and heats up instantly. Particularly good for wiping away water stains and soap scum from shower doors and restoring shine to mirrors and sinks.
Michael Graves shower squeegee at John Lewis – £5. Perfect for cleaning windows, mirrors and glass shower units without bacteria-hoarding cloths. Part of a range designed by American architect Michael Graves, who aims to bring style to the unsung heroes of our homes.
Anti-mould and mildew spray from Screwfix – £4.89. This trigger spray removes unsightly mould and mildew and prevents its reappearance. Highly effective and non-flammable with a pleasant fragrance.Also check out this retailer’s washable microfibre cloths at £1.99 – this product can be washed up to 400 times and is suitable for glass and ceramics.
Jeyes Parazone Weekly Shot Concentrated Bleach Tablets (Pack of 4) from Robert Dyas – £1.99. These bleach blocks are designed to last a week apiece, making sure your toilet gets a germ-destroying blast with every flush – and you know exactly when to replace them.
Doktor Power from JML – £4.99. An environmentally-friendly hard cleaning stone that comes complete with a specially-designed applicator stored away easily in the lid. Non-toxic and bio-degradable, tough on limescale and soap scum in the bathroom.
Ecover cleaning products from Natural Collection – check out the toilet cleaner at £1.30, the multi-surface cleaner at £1.95, the limescale remover at £2.50 and SquirtEco, which is particularly suitable for bathroom surfaces, at £1.95. And, because all Ecover products are environmentally friendly and economical, you can happily use plenty of them!
Five-year toilet descaler from Scotts of Stow – £5.95. Avoid expensive chemical toilet descalers yet keep the bowl germ-free and hygienic. The four-inch cartridge is equipped with magnets to prevent mineral build-up which can stain the bowl and harbour bacteria. Just drop it into the cistern and watch as it protects your toilet for around five years or up to 50,000 flushes.
Leifheit Flexi-Pad Tile Cleaner from John Lewis – &pound:12. Takes the strain out of cleaning hard-to-reach bathroom tiles. The telescopic handle extends from 80 to 140cm, and is easily moveable thanks to a swivel joint. The microfibre pad is removable and washable.
Marble & Granite Magic from Scotts of Stow – £7.95. Cares for marble, granite, terrazzo, slate and other polished stone surfaces. Cleans, polishes and protects, adds brightness and depth to enhance the natural veining of the stone and comes in a 12 fl oz trigger spray.

Please note: all prices and stock accurate at the time this post was published – but, as always with our blog posts, be aware that retailers may subsequently change them.