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If you have a habit of scrolling through your social media feed whilst sitting on the toilet, you should probably stop it right now.
Germs in the bathroom that come in contact with your phone can lead to serious illness including diarrhoea, salmonella and respiratory infection.
“Touching your phone between using the toilet and washing your hands is a very bad idea,” Dr Paul Matewele, microbiologist at London Metropolitan University told The Sun.
“Toilet seats, handles, sinks and taps are covered in germs such as E. coli, which can cause urinary tract infections and intestinal illness, C. diff which can result in diarrhoea, and acinetobacter which can cause a contagious respiratory infection.”
Not only are the germs your own, but from other people who have used the same toilet cubicle before you.
“In the loo there will be other people’s germs on the seat, loo flush handle or button and loo roll holder, and the door to the cubicle,” Dr Lisa Acklerley said.
“These germs could include anything from norovirus to salmonella. So you don’t want those on your phone.”
Ackerley warns that even if you wash your hands after using your phone whilst on the toilet, you can still get sick.
“To put it bluntly, germs go through toilet paper, so after you have finished on the loo, your hands are dirty, which is why you wash them afterwards,” she explains.
“So if your hands are dirty, and contaminated with viruses or bacteria, and you pick up your phone after using the loo, then you will be transferring your germs and any others your hands have picked up onto the phone and then back on to your hands, even if you wash them after.”
So the easiest way to avoid getting sick from your phone is to stop taking it to the bathroom.
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