Sarah Miller RN, Keris Krennhrubec, and Diana Zuckerman, PhD, National Center for Health Research
We all try to keep our kitchens and bathrooms clean and bacteria-free. But how clean are our offices, computers, and keyboards? Most of us spend many hours every week typing at a computer, but rarely think to clean it. How dirty can our desks get?
Keyboards and Bacteria
Research from the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia studied the amount and type of bacteria on personal faculty keyboards and shared keyboards and other surfaces around the university. They found that keyboards can have high levels of bacteria on them and that shared keyboards tend to have more bacteria than those used by only one person.[1]
Even more disturbing, research by University of Arizona researchers also found that the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. That study took samples from offices across the United States, and also showed that women’s desks tended to harbor more bacteria than men’s.
A study at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital found that two deadly drug-resistant types of bacteria (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) could survive for up to 24 hours on a keyboard, while another common but less deadly bug (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) could survive for an hour.[2]
How Do Bacteria Get on Your Desk and Keyboard?
Most of the bacteria found by researchers are types that tend to live on people, usually in our skin and in our mouths and nasal passages. So it is likely that most of the bacteria came from our hands.
Although many of these bacteria won’t hurt you unless your immune system is weak because of another illness, it could still cause an infection in you have a cut on your fingers (even a tiny one you can’t see).It is still wise to be careful, especially if you are sharing a computer with other people. For example, if the person who used the keyboard before you was coming down with the flu, it is possible that you could catch the flu from using the keyboard afterwards.
A good precaution is to wash your hands before and after using a shared computer, telephone or other equipment and to encourage others to do the same. It is not a good idea, either, to eat at your computer, especially if you share it with others. When you eat and then type, you are probably transmitting bacteria from your mouth to the keyboard (not to mention getting crumbs everywhere).
Hospital Computers
With more and more doctors switching to electronic patient records, keyboard bacteria are becoming a problem in hospitals as well.
This could lead to serious problems in hospitals since many people could potentially use the same computer and then transmit the bacteria to patients. People who are already sick may be more vulnerable to bacterial infections, so hospital patients may be more likely to become seriously ill from bacteria transmitted from computers and health care workers’ hands.
Researchers have found that a good way to prevent the transmission of this type of infection is for health care workers to wash their hands and to have computer keyboards disinfected on a regular basis.[3][4]
What Can You Do to Keep Your Computer Clean?
Remember that everything you touch does not have to be sterile in order to be safe. There are bacteria all around us and most of them will not make us sick. Having some bacteria on your keyboard will not necessarily hurt you.
There are some bacteria, though, that can make us sick, so washing your hands before and after using your keyboard is a good idea. For everyday hand washing, regular soap and water are effective to kill bacteria. Special antibacterial soap is not necessary outside of health care settings. Alcohol-based hand rub can also take the place of hand-washing if your hands are not visibly dirty or greasy.
If something disgusting happens to your keyboard or it is very dirty, here are some steps to clean it.
- Shut down and unplug your computer.
- Turn the keyboard upside down to empty debris from between the keys. If you are using a can of compressed air, you should use it at this point to blow debris out from in-between the keys.
- Dampen a cotton swab (such as a Q-tip) with water or isopropyl alcohol. Make sure it is damp, not wet. Use it to clean in-between the keys.
- Dampen a lint-free cloth with your chosen cleaner. Again, make sure it is damp, not wet. Wipe down the rest of the keyboard with the cloth.
It is possible to take the keys off of some keyboards for a more thorough cleaning, but not usually necessary, since it is most important to clean the parts you touch the most.
Remember, simple hand washing is always the best way to stop the spread of bacteria!
All articles are reviewed and approved by Dr. Diana Zuckerman and other senior staff.
- Anderson, G; and Palombo, EA, Microbial contamination of computer keyboards in a university setting; American Journal of Infection Control, 37(6) pp.507-9, 2009.
- Lankford, MG; Collins, S; Youngberg, L; Rooney, DM; Warren, JR; and Noskin, GA, Assessment of materials commonly used in health care: Implications for bacterial survival and transmission. American Journal of Infection Control, 34(5)pp. 258-63, 2006.
- Leander, J; Burke, R; Sulis, C; and Carling, PD; Dangerous COWS; An analysis of disinfection cleaning of computer keyboards on wheels, American Journal of Infection Control, 37(6) 778-80, 2009.
- Lu, PL; Siu, LK; Chen, TC; Ma, L; Chiang, WC; Chen, YH; Lin, SF; and Chen, TP, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii on computer interface surfaces of hospital wards and association with clinical isolates, BMC Infectious Diseases, 164(9), 2009.
FAQs
They found that keyboards can have high levels of bacteria on them and that shared keyboards tend to have more bacteria than those used by only one person. Even more disturbing, research by University of Arizona researchers also found that the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
What has more bacteria than a toilet seat? ›
Dishcloths and sponges are dirtier than any other item in the average home, harboring the largest amount of E. coli and other fecal bacteria—mostly because they aren't replaced as often as they should be. Each square inch of these items contains 456 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
How much bacteria is on a computer keyboard? ›
“Germiest Jobs Report”, a study done by Dr Charles Gerba at the University of Arizona, found that a telephone is contaminated with up to 25,127 germs per square inch, keyboards at 3,295 per square inch, and the mouse at 1,676 per square inch.
Is an office desk 400 times more bacteria than a toilet? ›
The average office desk is covered in over 10,000,000 bacteria, that's 400 times the bacteria living on the average toilet seat. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to beat the bacteria and maintain a clean work desk.
Does a keyboard have more germs? ›
A computer keyboard can harbor up to 3,295 microbes per square inch, a computer mouse 1,676. By contrast, the average toilet seat contains only 49 microbes per square inch.
Is there more bacteria on the keyboard than the toilet? ›
They found that keyboards can have high levels of bacteria on them and that shared keyboards tend to have more bacteria than those used by only one person. Even more disturbing, research by University of Arizona researchers also found that the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
What is dirtier than a public toilet seat? ›
Office Desks The average desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet. Computer Keyboards Keyboards can have up to 200 times as many bacteria as a toilet seat. Cellphones Your mobile phone can have 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats. Would you touch your face with a toilet seat?
How dirty are laptop keyboards? ›
In fact, studies show more than 3,000 organisms occupy every square inch of the average keyboard. Despite all this icky stuff lingering at our fingertips, many of us neglect cleaning the dirt and grime that builds up over time.
How dirty are phones and laptops? ›
Researchers found ten times more bacteria on a phone screen than on a toilet seat or handle. Only 1 in 20 people clean their phone more than twice per year! Clean, Sanitize, and Dry to get rid of real viruses, but to prevent a computer virus, Apply Updates. Use automatic updates and restart at least weekly.
How often should you clean your laptop keyboard? ›
It's a good idea to clean your keyboard every few months, or more often if you notice visible dirt or crumbs. Regular cleaning can help prevent buildup and maintain its functionality.
Consequently, the average desk is home to about 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat, with some of these bacteria types being incredibly harmful and contributing to the spread of disease.
What room in your house has the most bacteria? ›
The kitchen holds the title for “germiest place in the house”, where bacterial contamination is far more common than in the bathroom, for example: Kitchen rags, towels and sponges are notorious for bacterial contamination.
Is a messy desk better than a clean desk? ›
A messy environment promotes creative thinking and unconventional new ideas, whereas a clean desk will help your mind focus on order and expectations.
Are there more germs on your phone or toilet? ›
Researchers at the University of Arizona found that cellphones carry ten times more bacteria than a toilet seat. While many bacteria are harmless, some studies have found serious pathogens on cellphones like E-Coli, MRSA, and Strep. To avoid picking up bacteria, don't take your phone in the bathroom with you.
Can germs live on toilet seats? ›
Many disease-causing organisms can survive for only a short time on the surface of the seat, and for an infection to occur, the germs would have to be transferred from the toilet seat to your urethral or genital tract, or through a cut or sore on the buttocks or thighs, which is possible but very unlikely.
How contaminated are keyboards? ›
Collectively, studies found a 96.7% contamination rate of keyboards sampled. Keyboards and other computer peripherals were most commonly contaminated with skin commensal bacteria, but also with a variety of other potential pathogenic bacteria including MRSA, C. diff, VRE and E.
What has the most bacteria in a bathroom? ›
“Bacteria, yeast and mold love a moist area, like the shower curtain,” says Dr. Gudipati. “Whether it's plastic or cloth, it can hold onto bacteria and, in damper climates, even grow mold. The shower curtain harbors more bacteria than anything else in your bathroom, with up to 16 million colony-forming units.”
What has the most bacteria in a household? ›
The kitchen
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) found that areas where food is stored or prepared had more bacteria and fecal contamination than other places in the home. More than 75 percent of dish sponges and rags had Salmonella, E. coli, and fecal matter compared to 9 percent on bathroom faucet handles.
Do hands have more germs than a toilet seat? ›
Generally, the human hand has about 1,000 bacteria per square inch, somewhat more than a toilet seat. There's a reason for that, said Tetro: “The thing is that most of the time when you have a toilet seat that has germs on it, it came from somebody's derriere.”
Which has more bacteria urine or feces? ›
Some bacteria inhabiting the stomach intestine are inevitably detectable in urine. However, the concentrations are infinitesimally low compared to that in faeces which harbours vast populations of both living and dead intestinal bacteria.
