How computer keyboard is 5 TIMES dirtier than toilet seat

Computer keyboards can harbour more harmful bacteria than a lavatory seat, it has been claimed.

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.

\"Most people don\'t give much thought to the grime that builds up on their PC, but if you don\'t clean your computer, you might as well eat your lunch off a lavatory seat.\"

Which? found that one in ten people never clean their keyboard, while 20 per cent never clean their mouse.

Around half cleaned their keyboard less than one a month.

The modern practice of \"hotdesking\", in which staff sit at different desks every week, means that workers do not know who has been using their keyboard before them.

Miss Kidner said workers and home PC users should give their keyboards a regular clean, adding: \"It\'s quite simple to do and could prevent your computer becoming a health hazard.\"

Which? says users should unplug computers before wiping surfaces with a damp, soft, lint-free cloth.lint

Keyboards should be unplugged, turned upside down and shaken.

我们的键盘竟然比马桶座还脏！

已经证实，计算机键盘比马桶座更容易成为有害细菌的温床。

消费者组织Which?认为，许多用户可能有患胃病的危险。

在测试了其位于伦敦的办公室中的设备之后，得到的结果让人吃惊。该组织警告说，这种以键盘头六个字母命名的名为“QWERTY胃病”将可能侵袭整个工作场所。

一个键盘是如此的肮脏，以至于我们不得不动用一个微生物学家来对它进行移除，隔离和清洁等一系列工作。

键盘上的细菌总数是可接受上限的150倍，而一个普通的马桶座也不过是这个上限的50倍，也就是说，我们的键盘比马桶座还要脏5倍！

人们在使用这样的键盘的同时，又在吃三明治或者水果的话，那就有可能会把细菌也一起吃下去，这样的后果就是可能会导致胃部不适。

科学家们测试了33个键盘上的大肠杆菌，大肠菌，葡萄球菌和肠杆菌的数量，并将结果与从马桶座和卫生间门把手上得到的数据进行比较。

四个键盘被认为存在潜在的健康威胁，而另外一部则被直接判处了“死刑”。

两个键盘的葡萄球菌数量超标，而另外两个的大肠菌和肠杆菌的数量超标，“有使用户通过接触而染病的危险”。

专家表示，这个发现只是大不列颠境内办公室的缩影。

Which?的计算机编辑Sarah Kidner指出：“这个令人震惊的结果显示，部分键盘已经成了有害细菌的温床，并可能导致用户胃部不适。这些细菌可能导致诸如腹泻等食物中毒症状。造成这种状况的原因是在办公桌旁就餐，而食物残渣为细菌的滋生提供了充足的养料。此外，糟糕的个人卫生习惯，也是原因之一：许多人便后不洗手。大多数人对电脑上的污垢重视不足；但是，如果你不清理你的电脑，你就相当于在马桶上就餐。”

Which?发现，10%的用户从来没有清理过键盘，20%的用户没有清理过鼠标。超过50%的用户每个月清理键盘的次数少于一次。

在那些“公用办公桌”的单位，职员们每周都会坐在不同的位置上，这就意味着员工们不知道在他们之前，谁用过这个键盘。

Kidner女士建议“上班族”和家用电脑用户应该定期清理他们的键盘，她还补充到：“这只是举手之劳，但却可以有效避免你的电脑成为‘健康杀手’。”

Which?提醒用户，在清理之前，应该拔掉键盘与电脑之间的连接插头，然后用柔软湿润的无绒布进行清理。

好了，马上动手吧：拔掉键盘，翻转，使劲摇吧！