Nauseating pictures show areas of your home riddled with the most bacteria

Bathrooms are the dirtiest spot in our homes - while light switches and TV remotes are among the cleanest

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Even after we've scoured every inch of our homes, it’s hard to know just how clean they really are. With this in mind, the home insurance experts at Compare the Market conducted an experiment to discover how much bacteria is hiding in certain parts of our homes.

The experiment involved swabbing areas and items around the house that are usually included in regular cleaning duties, such as TV remotes, light switches, and shower screens, to see how dirty they really are - even after they’ve been cleaned. The results showed bathrooms are the dirtiest spot in our homes.

Bathroom vents provide a breeding ground for nearly 2,000 groups of bacteria on average. Shower screens ranked as the second most neglected area with an average of 1,921 groups of bacteria living there.

The maximum number of bacteria groups found on a single swab in these locations also reached a staggering level of at least 11,500. The inside of a washing machine followed in third, playing host to around 1,281 groups of bacteria on average.

In fourth is a kettle handle, with 634 groups of bacteria on average. In last on the list is a front door handle that has an average of 503 groups of bacteria.

1. Bathroom vent: 1,991 average number of bacteria groups

To give your vents a good clean, turn off the power and remove the cover to soak it in soapy water. Dust and scrub the inside of the vent to remove any dirt, and make sure to let everything dry completely before replacing the vent cover and turning on the power again.

2. Bathroom shower screen: 1,921 average number of bacteria groups

Using two cups of water, half a cup of vinegar and a quarter of rubbing alcohol, you can create the perfect mix to combat germs on your shower screens. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to dilute the smell of the alcohol and give your bathroom a pleasant scent.

3. Inside washing machine: 1,281 average number of bacteria groups

Dirt and grime can build up in your washing machine over time, providing the perfect playground for bacteria. To avoid this – and to make sure your clothes stay fresh – aim to give your washing machine a deep clean at least once a month. Many modern washing machines even have a dedicated cleaning cycle you can run, to make the process easier.

Some of the swabs found zero bacteria present, proving that a clean, bacteria-free environment is possible to achieve. Light switches were home to the least amount of bacteria, with an average of just 79 groups living in this location.

TV remotes and microwaves followed as the second and third cleanest spots – but both still hosted more than 300 bacterial groups each on average, and the maximum number found in a microwave was at least 3,000.

Rank

Location

Average amount of bacteria groups per location

Light Switch

TV Remote

312

Microwave

365

Window handle

400

Oven knob

477

Anna McEntee, home insurance comparison expert at Compare the Market, shares top tips to keep your home clean. She said: "While sticking to a regular cleaning routine can help you to keep on top of essential tasks and ensure that your home remains in good condition, sometimes mishaps happen that cause mess or damage that cannot be rectified.

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"It’s worth considering opting for accidental damage insurance cover as part of your home insurance policy as it covers all sorts of mishaps, such as spilling red wine on the sofa. Some groups of accidental damage will fall under buildings insurance, while others will come under contents insurance, so it’s always important to check what your provider covers you for."

For more information, and to view the full experiment results, visit: https://www.comparethemarket.com/home-insurance/content/how-clean-is-your-home/