The study found that the most common bacteria on car keys was Staphylococcus epidermidis – a bug normally found on the skin but known to cause life-threatening infections in hospital settings
Brits are being warned that a commonly used item is harbouring alarmingly high levels of bacteria – and it’s probably in your pocket right now.
While many of us are fastidious about cleaning our bathrooms or wiping down surfaces, it appears we’re neglecting one everyday essential: our car keys, according to MailOnline.
New research by Money Supermarket has revealed that car keys contain nearly four times more bacteria than a mobile phone or a computer keyboard – making them one of the grimiest items we carry around.
Despite the disturbing findings, a third of drivers have never cleaned their car keys, even though a quarter have had them for over five years.
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While it’s already well known that the steering wheel, gearstick, and dashboard are breeding grounds for germs, experts warn that the keys themselves have been perilously overlooked, reports the Express.
“Washing our hands, wiping down surfaces, scrubbing our bathrooms are common cleaning tasks,” the experts say. “But what about those small essentials we handle multiple times a day, like our car keys?”
“They’re with us everywhere, from restaurant tables to gym floors, to the depths of our bags, but they’re often overlooked when it comes to cleaning.”
The team surveyed 2,000 UK motorists about their cleaning habits and car types. They also sent swabs of various items to a lab, including phones, keyboards, and a toilet seat – long seen as one of the dirtiest household objects.
The findings were shocking. Mobile phone screens had an average bacteria count of 66, with computer keyboards slightly higher at 68.
However, car keys clocked in at a staggering 241 – nearly four times filthier than either device.
Unsurprisingly, the toilet seat took the top spot with the highest reading of all at 1,100.
Dr Joe Latimer, director of Microbe Consulting Ltd and a microbiologist at the University of Salford, led the analysis and suggested that the bacteria levels on keys might still be underestimated.
The most prevalent bacteria identified on car keys was Staphylococcus epidermidis – a bug typically found on the skin but known to cause life-threatening infections in hospital environments, especially post-surgery.
Alarmingly, this bacterium is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, raising additional health worries.
While many of the bacteria were skin-based, researchers also discovered traces of gut bacteria on at least one set of keys.
“While unlikely to pose a problem, they can have the potential to carry disease under the right conditions,” Dr Latimer cautioned.
Experts are now advising drivers to regularly clean their car keys using a soft, damp cloth and mild soap solution. Bleach should be avoided as it can corrode the metal, and keys should never be submerged in water due to potential damage to key fobs and electronic components.
Motorists are also shelling out hundreds for key replacements, with one Fiat owner reportedly paying over £900 – typically due to lost or misplaced sets.
Shockingly, 15 per cent of drivers confess to not having a spare set of keys at all – leaving them in a pickle if their main set goes missing.
Fiat drivers were most likely to only own one set (27 per cent), followed by Land Rover owners (23 per cent) and Toyota drivers (20 per cent).
On the flip side, BMW drivers were found to be the most hygiene-conscious, with 57 per cent cleaning their keys weekly or more often. Mercedes-Benz owners followed at 55 per cent, then Land Rover (46 per cent), Audi (43 per cent) and Toyota (41 per cent).
The full results of the study can be found on the Money Supermarket website.