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Life Tips 24/06/2025 15:42

You'll be horr!fied to learn why you should NEVER bring your phone to the toilet

Taking your phone to the toilet may keep you entertained while you do your business. But this common habit can turn your device into a haven for dangerous microorganisms, a scientist warns. Dr Primrose Freestone, professor of clinical microbiology

Phones, like many high-touch items, can be a breeding ground for bacteria, with E. coli and Pseudomonas being among the harmful bugs that thrive on them. E. coli can lead to severe diarrhea and stomach cramps, while Pseudomonas is linked to blood and lung infections. Even after thoroughly washing your hands, your phone can still carry these germs once you pick it up again.
This means phones should be kept away from the toilet and regularly cleaned with alcohol wipes.
“Phones inevitably get contaminated, so it's smart to disinfect them from time to time,” she explained to MailOnline. “I make sure to wipe my Nokia with a disinfectant wipe at least twice a week.”
When a toilet is flushed, a fine spray of tiny droplets—containing bacteria and fecal matter—shoots out, which is invisible to the naked eye. A study from the University of Colorado Boulder found that this "toilet plume" can travel up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) in just 8 seconds.
This means anything within that 5-foot range, whether the floor, walls, or a nearby book, can get contaminated. Research also shows that this plume can still spread even when the toilet lid is closed.
For this reason, Professor Freestone recommends keeping your phone as far away from the toilet as possible—or better yet, out of the bathroom altogether.
“Toilet areas around the bowl are highly contaminated due to the spray,” she told MailOnline. “It doesn’t matter where you are; there will always be fecal bacteria on many bathroom surfaces. So, don’t forget about soap dispensers, taps, toilet seats, wash basins, door handles, bath mats—the list goes on.”
If you tend to hold your phone while on the toilet, placing it on the floor before flushing is one of the worst things you can do.
That’s because when the toilet is flushed, fecal matter is released and settles on the floor.
“The floor around the toilet is covered in feces and gut bacteria if it's not regularly disinfected,” explained Professor Freestone. “These bacteria can survive for hours or even days, so putting your phone on the floor next to the toilet is a bad idea.”
Even setting your phone on other surfaces, like the cistern or a nearby windowsill, might expose it to contamination.
While it can be difficult to keep your phone out of reach, especially if you’re expecting an important call, Professor Freestone suggests keeping it in your pocket during your time on the toilet to reduce the risk.
Phones are high-contact surfaces, and just like doorknobs, light switches, and taps, they are particularly susceptible to bacterial contamination.
This means we should wash our hands more often before and after touching them and ensure they are sanitized regularly. A 70% alcohol wipe or a gentle soap-and-water mixture are both good options for cleaning your phone. But avoid submerging it unless it’s waterproof, and steer clear of harsh chemicals like bleach.
Lastly, in the ongoing debate about how to position toilet paper, the “over” position has the next square facing the user, while in the “under” position, the next square faces the wall.

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