How your computer keyboard is five times dirtier than your toilet seat

by Amy Judd | April 30, 2008 at 06:48 pm

1693 views | 7 Recommendations | 21 comments

I am looking down at my computer keyboard in disgust now.
Apparently, your keyboard can harbour more harmful bacteria than your toilet seat!
Gross.

Many users are at risk of becoming ill with stomach bugs, according to the consumer group Which?

It warned that 'qwerty tummy', named after the first six letters on a keyboard, could sweep through workplaces after tests on equipment in its own London offices showed alarming results.

One keyboard was so dirty that a microbiologist ordered it to be removed, quarantined and cleaned.

It had 150 times the acceptable limit for bacteria and was five times as filthy as a typical lavatory seat.

Anyone who eats a sandwich or piece of fruit having been tapping on such a keyboard can pick up bacteria that could lead to a stomach upset.

The scientist swabbed 33 keyboards for food poisoning bugs e.coli, coliforms, staphylococcus aureus and enterobacteria and compared the results to those found on a lavatory seat and lavatory door handle.

Four of the keyboards were considered a potential health hazard and one was "condemned".

Two had "warning levels" of staphylococcus aureus and two others had "worryingly elevated" levels of coliforms and enterobacteria, "putting users at high risk of becoming ill from contact".

The expert said the findings were typical of offices all over Britain.

Which? computing editor Sarah Kidner said: "The shocking results revealed that some of these keyboards were harbouring harmful bacteria that could potentially give their users a stomach upset.

"The germs found could cause food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhoea.

"The main cause of a bug-infested keyboard is eating lunch at desks, as the food deposits encourage the growth of millions of bacteria.

"Poor personal hygiene, such as dodging hand washing after going to the lavatory, may also be to blame.

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jonathandes

at 03:40 on May 1st, 2008

This was the keyboard at my University in the computer lab. When I took the photo, I did not realize how dirty it would come out, I was only interested in the missing key. I don't think that the white color of the keys helps much either.

jonathandes has contributed a photo to this story.

cloudedmaple

at 05:17 on May 1st, 2008

My keyboard after I took it apart and cleaned it!

cloudedmaple has contributed a photo to this story.

jryan1512

at 05:25 on May 1st, 2008

Just an average keyboard, but I have to admit it is pretty dirty so I shot it with a low f stop causing the depth of field.

jryan1512 has contributed a photo to this story.

eireannj

at 05:31 on May 1st, 2008

I have no idea what all might be hiding in here - cat hair, human hair, food, etc. I try not to think about it too much.

eireannj has contributed a photo to this story.

Aggatho DeCuir

at 05:37 on May 1st, 2008

I managed to pour sweet and sour sauce all over my laptop...
I'm just glad the keyboard still works :)

scarls17

at 06:08 on May 1st, 2008

This is my own keyboard and it's fairly new, so I hope the germ count is low, haha.

scarls17 has contributed a photo to this story.

Jordan Yerman

at 06:25 on May 1st, 2008

Otherwise, though, the keys won't taste right.

cleebster

at 06:38 on May 1st, 2008

This is a picture of my keyboard, when I was trying out some macro settings on my camera. It highlighted to me how dusty is my laptop! Quite embarrassing really!

cleebster has contributed a photo to this story.

Luiza de Oliveira

at 08:13 on May 1st, 2008

great.

Luiza de Oliveira has contributed a photo to this story.

Web4u

at 08:15 on May 1st, 2008

Hi everyone! My keyboard is fantastic, did not?...

(=P)

Web4u has contributed a photo to this story.

saunamamo

at 08:29 on May 1st, 2008

I enjoy playing a scavenger hunt game in pictures on Flickr, The World Through My Eyes. My daughter and I took all kinds of pictures while shopping at an IKEA store. This is one of them. Thanks for your interest. Saunamamo.

saunamamo has contributed a photo to this story.

LucyTruong

at 10:48 on May 1st, 2008

This is a picture of a keyboard that hasn't been used since last year in my high school. It has obviously collected lots of dust since then.

LucyTruong has contributed a photo to this story.

Soonlar

at 11:55 on May 1st, 2008

Here is a used Mac keyboard. Owned by a school, then by me for a year, then I sold to some other poor victim.

Soonlar has contributed a photo to this story.

liamssoft

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:37 on May 1st, 2008

amyjudd, a good reminder to change for a new one. Good stuff!

malagent

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:42 on May 1st, 2008

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I know my keyboards do not fall under this category as I clean them more often than most. Oe of the benefits of OCD I suppose.

Funshine4katie

at 20:08 on May 1st, 2008

Someone wrote this on the keyboard in the yearbook/art lab. The monitor picture was saved to a bright green text called "POOP!"
This computer just reeks of nastay.

Funshine4katie has contributed a photo to this story.

utterlyutter

at 00:00 on May 2nd, 2008

...which is why i like to clean my keyboards regularly :-)

Dark Ruby

at 21:42 on May 2nd, 2008

My laptop keyboard.

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more_than_milk

at 05:01 on May 3rd, 2008

This is my laptop, Lappy. He is faithful, slightly autistic and speaks swedish. Apparantly his keyboard is dirtier than a toilet seat! this is probably true, my cat has been known to sit on it.

more_than_milk has contributed a photo to this story.