The KSL TODAY Team Tested Their Smartphones For Bacteria, And It Got Gross
Sep 25, 2018, 9:10 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The smartphones that put the world at our fingertips have more than just movies, music, email, games and social media. What’s also there is an incredible amount of bacteria and germs.
A new study found that smartphones are likely the dirtiest thing people come in contact with each day. They’re even dirtier than toilet seats.
According to the study, 35 percent of people have never cleaned their smartphone, phone screens are nearly four times as dirty as a toilet seat, and those screens are 17 times dirtier than a keyboard and mouse.
So the KSL TODAY team decided to test their own phones and see what popped up.
Andrew Wittenberg ordered a bacteria testing kit and swabbed the whole morning news team’s phones. He also swabbed the toilets in both the men’s and women’s restrooms here at the KSL TV studios.
Andrew’s phone
Andrew started by showing off what was living on his smartphone. It wasn’t too bad, but there was still a bit of growth in his petri dish.
Lori’s Phone
Lori Prichard was next. She had a bit more to show off.
Grant’s phone
Grant Weyman’s dish contained a different kind of bacteria, which grew in a larger shape. Is that a look a shame or pride?
Haley’s and Shara’s phones
Haley Smith and Shara Park compared theirs, and Shara was clearly disgusted.
But the winner of the most bacteria-ridden phone went to Caitlin Burchill.
Caitlin’s phone
“I haven’t stopped cleaning it since!” she exclaimed. “It’s so gross! Don’t tell my mom!”
Andrew was about to give her a pass, since Caitlin is out in the field reporting so much. However, Lori chimed in.
“But Caitlin admitted,” she said. “You admitted something, Caitlin!”
That’s when Caitlin came clean, so to speak.
“I’ve never cleaned it once,” she said.
Experts say to clean your phone with a disinfectant wipe once a day. We’re guessing Caitlin will be doing that from now on.
