Of all the parts of the car, most «loaded» with bacteria is the boot, while the least is - rather unexpectedly - the steering wheel.
Researchers from the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University in Birmingham, led by Professor of Microbiology Jonathan Cox, took samples from the interior of several cars to investigate the levels of microorganisms inside the vehicles and see how effective their cleaning is.
The conclusion is rather worrying and suggests that owners should clean their cars more often and more carefully, as a number of potentially pathogenic microbes were found in most vehicles.
Indicatively, the ubiquitous E.coli bacterium was found in every trunk, something that should be kept in mind by those who put fruit and vegetables «in bulk» after shopping. The bacteria pseudomonas, staphylococcus aureus, etc. was also found in the cars.
The most bacteria-infested parts of the car are, in order, the following: Trunk 1,425 species of bacteria, driver's seat 649, gear levers 407, rear seat 323, dashboard 317 and steering wheel 146.
The steering wheel, despite frequent contact with it, is usually the cleanest place, perhaps because in the midst of a pandemic many drivers make sure to clean it frequently with antiseptics.
As Cox reported, «despite cleaning the cars, the older they are, the dirtier they are generally. Our findings show us that we need to change how we think about our cars and their cleanliness. We often clean them based on whether they look clean rather than whether they are actually clean.».
