IT’S THE drink fuelling workplaces all over Ireland but have you ever wondered what actually goes in to your cup of tea?
The answer could put you off workplace cuppas for life.
Because, according to new research, office teabags could be harbouring up to 17 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
The standard toilet seat carries a bacterial reading of around 220 on average, while alarmingly office tea bags carry around 3,785 germs.
It only gets worse from there though. Kettle handles carry 2,482 germs, mug rims have 1,746 and the handles of office fridge doors carry around 1,592.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Peter Barrett of Initial Washroom Hygiene, the company behind the research, said:
"If you stop to think about the number of different hands that touch things such as the kettle handle, tea bag box lid, mugs, and so on, the potential for cross contamination really adds up."
The findings echo the results of a poll from The Independent which found around 80 per cent of people working in the office wouldn’t think to wash their hands before making drinks for colleagues.
Probably best they stock up on hand sanitiser.
