ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Floors, carpets and even tap water create more airborne bacteria in our homes than the toilet. That's according to a new report from scientists in the US.

The team from the University of California took their equipment to 29 homes in the San Francisco area and mapped out exactly where airborne microbes were coming from. Floors and carpets came out top with 19.5 per cent (probably because we're always kicking up dust from them), while 16.5 per cent of bugs could be traced back to outside air that had drifted in or been carried in by people.

Tap water produced nine per cent of airborne bacteria, while just 0.4 per cent could be traced back to the toilet bowl.

"The study of the microbial communities in the built environment is of critical importance as humans spend the majority of their time indoors," the team writes in the report.

"While the microorganisms in living spaces, especially those in the air, can impact health and well-being, little is known of their identity and the processes that determine their assembly."

This study is also informative for managers of large buildings like offices and schools - it suggests the more diverse a microbiome environment is, the healthier it becomes, and that means outside air is an important contributor.

The study has been published in the journal Microbiome.

Click here to read the report in full.