Doctor dishes on the five surprising things in your home that are DIRTIER than your toilet seat: 'Gross'
Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency medicine physician from California, shared the top five unsuspecting items in your home that are secretly filthy - and some might be within arm's reach as you read this.
According to the medical expert, the average toilet seat has just 50 colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria per square inch.
But what he revealed next has many reconsidering their cleaning habits - or lack thereof.
A TV remote contains a staggering 5,000 CFUs, making it 100 times dirtier than your toilet seat.
Cutting boards - where many home cooks prepare raw meat and vegetables - have been found to hold up to 10,000 CFUs, making it 200 times filthier.
Your mobile phone? That's 25,000 CFUs, or 500 times dirtier than the loo.
How often do you change your pillowcase? Dr Whittington pointed out that a single pillowcase, if left unwashed for a week, can harbour three million CFUs.
But the worst offender out of the list is the kitchen sponge, which has 10 million CFUs - that's 200,000 times more bacteria than your toilet seat.
Dr Whittington simply summed it up: 'I think it's time we all stop scrolling and start cleaning.'
How to clean germ-laden items
1. TV remote
Wipe down regularly with disinfectant wipes or a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Be sure to get into crevices and under the buttons, where grime and bacteria collect.
2. Kitchen cutting board
Wash thoroughly with hot, soapy water after each use.
For a deeper clean, sprinkle with coarse salt and scrub with half a lemon to disinfect and deodorise.
You can also sanitise plastic cutting boards by running them through the dishwasher.
Never use the same board for meat and vegetables - use separate boards for different food groups.
3. Mobile phone
Use a microfibre cloth slightly dampened with a isopropyl alcohol solution.
Gently wipe the screen and case - but avoid excess moisture near ports and buttons.
4. Pillowcase
Wash at least once a week in hot water (60C or higher).
Use a hypoallergenic detergent if you have sensitive skin.
For extra cleanliness, add a scoop of baking soda or white vinegar to the wash to eliminate bacteria and odours.
5. Kitchen sponge
Soak it in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water for five minutes and replace your sponge every 1-2 weeks regardless of cleaning.
The video left thousands in shock - and some a little amused.
'That's it. I'm cutting vegetables on the toilet from now on,' one viewer joked.
'I can't believe my kitchen sponge is 200,000 times dirtier than my toilet seat. Time to clean up,' said another.
'My pillowcase deserves to be tested. I'm not ever going to say how long it's been there,' another admitted.
One confessed: 'I will not be showing this to my wife. Me and the bacteria need peace.'
Others shared their cleaning hacks.
'That's why I don't use a sponge. I have two spray bottles: one with water and bleach and one with water and alcohol,' wrote one hygiene-conscious commenter.
'This is why my grandma insisted on a cutting board for every food group since the 80s,' added another.
Dr Whittington's post prompted people across the country to deep clean their often neglected everyday items.
So next time you reach for your phone, grab the remote or wash the dishes with a sponge, spare a thought for the microscopic world living on it - and maybe give it a good wipe-down.
Your immune system will thank you.
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