Cellphone Habits Spread Restroom Germs

Are the people in your facility taking their cellphones to the restroom with them? According to a recent survey from Vioguard Inc., an ultraviolet light technology company, cellphone usage on the toilet is high among young people and could lead to higher transfer of bacteria and viruses due to lack of sanitization.

Vioguard conducted a survey over 1,100 U.S. respondents between May 19 and May 21 to better understand consumers’ cellphone cleaning habits or lack thereof. The survey revealed that 93% of young adults between 18 to 29-year-old use their cellphones while on the toilet.

The survey also found:

• 73% of respondents of all ages admitted to using their phone on the toilet or while standing at the urinal
• One out of three people surveyed admitted to never cleaning their phones and 75% said they cleaned them less than once per day. Of those that did clean their phones, less than half used a chemical wipe. Others said they used a cloth or even their shirtsleeve or pant leg
• Over 87% said they agree that airborne viruses and bacteria stay alive after landing on surfaces
• Almost 90% agreed that you can become infected by touching dirty surfaces such as your cellphone.

“The results of this survey clearly show that consumers admit that their phones are dirty and that they can become ill by their dirty phones, but they are taking few, if any, necessary precautions to effectively disinfect their phones,” said Mark Beeston, vice president of sales at Vioguard.