Bacteria Britain – TV remotes and Kitchens pose more risk than toilets

• Scientific analysis reveals kitchen surfaces, bed sheets and TV remotes all harbour more bacteria than loo seats
• TV remotes were found to host 15 times more Enterobacter (found in faeces) bacteria than the average toilet 
• This is in direct contrast to people’s expectations – nearly half (46 per cent) believe kitchen surfaces to be the cleanest part of the home 
• Londoners most likely to only change their bed sheets every 1-3 months 

The average kitchen surface harbours more harmful bacteria than a toilet seat, reveals new analysis by Churchill Home Insurance. Churchill commissioned a laboratory to analyse swabs¹ from toilet seats, kitchen surfaces, bed sheets, kitchen light switches, the TV remote and computer keyboards. 

Shockingly, kitchen surfaces were found on average to host the most bacteria. The study identified very high levels of Streptococcus, which can cause life threatening infections, and Enterobacter, a bacteria found in faeces with the potential to cause pneumonia and bloodstream infections. Bed sheets were the second most bacteria-filled area, followed by TV remotes, which were found to be the household hotspot for Enterobacter. Toilet seats were found to have the lowest Enterobacter count on average, out of all the areas tested by the lab.

Bacteria, yeast and mould counts in the home 

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2024

The highest concentration of Streptococcus was found on bed sheets, followed by kitchen surfaces. The highest counts of yeast and mould were identified on kitchen light switches, with kitchen surfaces also having a “very high” count, showing the importance of thorough cleaning in these areas. 

Sarah Khan, Head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: “Our research shows that people can’t be complacent when it comes to cleaning the home. Even the areas people wipe down most often, such as kitchen countertops, – can harbour huge amounts of bacteria, so making sure you’re using the right products, along with cloths that are clean, and being thorough is vital to reduce health risks. 

“At the same time, washing bed sheets and cleaning hands regularly and thoroughly will help to ward off dangerous bacteria, particularly as we head into autumn and winter, when illnesses and bugs are more commonly picked up.”  

A quarter (25 per cent) of people2 never clean their TV remote, which were found to have the highest count of Enterobacter. In fact, TV remotes were found to host 15 times more Enterobacter than the average toilet, which a third of people (31 per cent) claim to clean once a week.  Worryingly, the second highest count of Enterobacter was found on kitchen surfaces, suggesting that the methods people use to clean their kitchen surfaces are not sufficient for removing bacteria.

Despite kitchen surfaces harbouring the most bacteria overall, kitchens were found to be the place people cleaned most frequently, with 17 per cent saying they do so every time they use it and a third (33 per cent) claiming to clean it every day. 

Whilst one in ten (10 per cent) people claim they are “fanatical” about keeping their house clean, 14 per cent say they take a relaxed attitude to cleanliness, with a further three per cent saying they only clean the house when it looks dirty. Nearly a fifth (18 per cent) employ a cleaner to help clean the home. Of those, nearly four in ten (39 per cent) have a cleaner in once a week, whilst a quarter (23 per cent) say their cleaner comes in more than once a week.

People are most likely to wash their bed sheets at least every fortnight, with 61% of respondents washing their bedsheets every two weeks and a further 29% do so once a week. Just under one in twenty (3%) wash more than once a week.  However, a shocking seven per cent said they wash their bedsheets only once every two months or less. 

Regional findings 

People in the North are the most likely to wash their sheets at least once a fortnight, whereas Londoners were the most likely to have clean sheets just every 1-3 months.

Responses to the question: How often do you wash your bedsheets?

Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2024

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Notes to Editors

1. Churchill worked with expert microbiologists BioLabTests to provide 20 swab kits across a range of ages, locations and house types. Volunteers swabbed their homes for common bacteria found in the home across 6 different areas – their toilet seats, kitchen surfaces, bed sheets, kitchen light switch, TV remote and laptop/computer keyboard. The lab then cultivated the swabs within 48 hours of taking them from volunteers and monitored bacterial growth under lab conditions over 28 days, before returning the results in an index. Bacteria measured included Streptococcus, Enterobacter and Yeast and Mould.

2. Research conducted by Opinium with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults, 16-20th August.

For further information please contact: 

Unni Henry 

Churchill PR Manager 

Email: unni.henry@directlinegroup.co.uk  

Ellie McGarahan

FleishmanHillard 

Tel: 07734 438211 

Email: DirectLineGroupMedia@Fleishman.com  

Churchill 

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.  

Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.   

Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.    

Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com.