One particular Christmas item could hold more bacteria than a toilet seat and with festive guests not bothering to wash their hands after going to the loo, you could get ill in time for the big day
Christmas baubles are dirtier than bog seats, according to a probe. The decorations are filled with more bacteria than loos as they are pawed by festive guests and kids who don’t bother washing their hands after going to the loo.
And because they are packed into airtight lofts without most of the nation washing them every year, boffs who swabbed the trinkets say they are a potentially deadly health hazard capable of causing a raft of nasty “seasonal illnesses”.
Jamie Woodhall, of Initial Washroom Hygiene, which carried out the stomach-churning study, warned: “With many of us enjoying this festive tradition with a mince pie or drink in hand and decorations often being passed from one person to another, as they are unpacked and hung up, then a cross-contamination risk is naturally present.
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“With 80% of all infections transmitted through hands, this can lead to the passing on of illness.
“No one wants their Christmas celebrations ruined by a seasonal bug, so it’s advisable to take the proper precautions such as wiping down decorations with an antibacterial cloth and for everyone to wash and dry their hands before joining the decorating fun.”
Eggheads compared swab results from a range of Christmas decorations – including wreaths, lights and baubles – with those taken from toilet seats.
They found the trinkets were carrying 30% more bacteria than what hygiene experts consider to be within the “normal range of biological contamination”.
Boffs also concluded the dirtiest Christmas decorations could harbour five times more “biological life” than a toilet seat. The swabs used are designed to detect levels of matter not visible to the human eye.
Analysis found nearly 70% of the decorations tested gave a reading of more than 500 units – indicating a “high level of contamination”. Some displayed readings in excess of 1,000 units.
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Of all the items swabbed, artificial Christmas tree boxes displayed the highest readings, at an average of 845 units. Wreaths were also found to be reeking, with a typical reading of 430.
Toilet seat samples lifted from a previous Initial Washroom Hygiene swabbing study recorded an average way below that on the decoration sample – with a typical 220 units per loo.
The results have prompted the bathroom hygiene services company to issue an idiot’s guide to staying clean at Christmas. They said: “Wash hands frequently with soap and water, and then dry them properly with a warm air dryer or paper towel, especially after touching shared surfaces.
“Use hand sanitiser when washing facilities aren’t available. Avoid touching your face, particularly your mouth, nose, and eyes, after coming into contact with public touchpoints.
“Cover your mouth when coughing to help reduce the transmission of seasonal illnesses.”