"A Place Where You Nap and Lounge"... Found to Be 75 Times Dirtier Than a Toilet > Issue

Financial News — A new study has found that sofas, which often appear clean on the surface, can actually be 75 times dirtier than a toilet seat.

According to the Daily Mail on May 9 (local time), a joint research team from Emblebeck Microbiology and Sofa Club conducted an investigation of sofas in six households across the UK.

By swabbing and analyzing the surface of the sofas, the researchers discovered that the sofa was the most contaminated area in the home.

On average, 508,883 aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) per 100 cm² were detected—75 times more than the 6,800 found on a toilet seat, and even higher than the 6,000 found on kitchen trash bins.

The hygiene situation was particularly severe in households with pets. In a home with two cats, more than one million E. coli bacteria per 100 cm² were found on the sofa. A couple with a dog had 193,000 CFU (colony-forming units) on their sofa, while the sofa of a single adult living alone had 46,000 CFU.

The researchers also measured bacteria levels on other household items. A work desk had 5,900 AMB per 100 cm², a laptop had 5,800 AMB, and a TV remote had 3,700 AMB—all cleaner than a toilet, but still carrying a significant amount of bacteria.

Monica Puccio, an interior expert at Sofa Club, explained, “Sofas are continuously exposed to environments that promote bacterial growth, as people eat, nap, and spend time with pets on them.” She added, “Many people regularly wash bedding, but often neglect sofa maintenance.”

She recommended, “To prevent bacterial growth, regularly wash cushion covers and sprinkle baking soda on the sofa, wait 20–30 minutes, and then remove it with a vacuum cleaner.”