Guess what?  Your computer keyboard is dirtier than your toilet seat.  Keyboards are five times dirtier than a toilet seat (well, maybe not a public toilet seat), carrying over 150 times the acceptable limits for bacteria.  They also carry up to 60 times more germs than your commode.  Excuse me; I’ll be right back.  I’m going to get a sanitizing wipe.

Your Cell Phone Could Make you Really, Really Sick
Here’s another revolting germ factoid: 16% of cellphones have poop on them.  Does that mean that 16% of people don’t wash their hands after they “do their business”?  Yuck.  All of this fascinating, yet nauseating news comes from a cool infographic on the website Keeping it Kleen, which is dedicated to providing information on cleanliness for health and well being.

In fact, a lot of the technology we use every day is full of germs, because we don’t usually think about the germs our gadgets might carry.  Even the Wii Fit can “easily attract germs” because people use it barefoot, transferring fungi and bacteria from one person to another.  And the germs and microbes don’t just die right away on surfaces.  Cold and flu germs can live for up to 48 hours on surfaces, and some microbes can live for HUNDREDS OF YEARS with no living host.

What’s a College Student to Do?
College students might be even more prone to catching germs from gadgets than others because of the tremendous amount of time they spend using technology – young people seeking a college degree today are really the first generation that have lived their entire lives with the Internet, cell phones, and other technology that we all take for granted.  Keeping it Kleen has some great tips for making sure you don’t get sick from using your technology:

• Disinfectant wipes are great for cleaning, but you can also use rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth, or high tech cleaning compounds available from tech stores.  Check the manufacturer’s instructions for appropriate cleaning solutions before using.
• Ultraviolet light cleaners also work really well, and they are available at most big box retail stores.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially during cold and flu season, and ALWAYS after you use the restroom.
• Don’t use your pants leg, a dirty sock, a sleeve, or your spit to “clean” your gadgets.  You’ll just be spreading more germs around.

So the burning question is this: which gadget has the most germs?  It is, of course, the TV remote control.  Keeping it Kleen says that it’s considered dirtier than the toilet, sink handles, door handles, and even hotel bedspreads.  It’s the “single dirtiest item a typical home, hospital, hotel room, or pretty much anywhere they’re found.”  Now that’s gross.