Tuesday, January 02, 2018

Teabag Tuesday

You may want to think twice before reaching for those office teabags...

[via]

A study found that boxes of workplace teabags contain 17 times more bacteria than a ­toilet seat.



Researchers at Initial Washroom Hygiene swabbed a variety of everyday office items, and found that the microbial levels as follows:

1. Tea bag box/tin - 3,785

2. Kettle handle - 2,483

3. Rim of used mug - 1,746

4. Fridge door handle - 1,592

5. Sugar container - 1,406

6. Kitchen tap - 1,331

7. Sink surface/drying rack - 1,234

8. Hot water tap - 1,160

9. Kitchen top - 948

10. Cutlery drawer handle - 754

A toilet seat registered just over 220.

Low: less than 200.
Normal: 200-500.
High: more than 500.


You might want to brew your own cup of tea and use your own cup. A poll of office workers found 80 per cent did not wash their hands before making drinks for colleagues, while one in three did not wash out mugs before topping them up. And one in 20 people also deliberately gave colleagues the ‘wrong mug.’


[via]

We here at Infomaniac remind you to stay healthy in 2018.

17 comments:

  1. "Coffee, tea, or norovirus?" Jx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JON: Thankfully, I’m able to work from home part of the time and can brew my own tea but those hours spent in an office with colleagues (not to mention the travelling time on public transit) are fraught with menacing microbes.

      Delete
  2. That's just nas-tea!

    This is why I take my own thermos to work and use it as a cup...to keep away from those filthy coworkers germs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EROS: Keep your thermos cup out of sneezing distance of your colleagues (about 200 feet.)

      Delete
  3. On the upside, boiling water probably slaughters some of those nasty germs. Let's not be rash by throwing the teabag out with the mug water.
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MISS SCARLET: Thank you for being the voice of reason in my constant battle against germaphobia.

      Although you’ll see by my comment to LX that it hasn’t helped.

      Delete
  4. “Putting a damp spoon back in the bowl is the tea-drinking equivalent of sharing a needle.” ― Alan Partridge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LX: A damp spoon in the sugar bowl?

      A Petri dish of pathogens!

      Delete
  5. Couldn't help but check out where the second photo (yum) hailed from. Was delighted to find it's from Boston & while perusing that site, spotted "Drag Bingo at Club Cafe."

    I WANNA GO TO DRAG BINGO!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NORMA: Drag Bingo was once a regular social event for me and I LOVED it.

      Surely there must be drag bingo somewhere in your city. Seek it out!

      Delete
  6. I never let anyone at work make me a coffee (and have my own mug, own milk, and own coffee), but it's not because of the constant war on the microbe. No. It's because they can't make it right!!!

    I don't know if you're familiar with The League of Gentlemen's Val & Harvey Denton? They wage a constant war against the microbe, too. I can't find the best clip, but this one gives an idea of what they're like (it's only two & a half mins).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MR. DeVICE: Really? Brits who don't make a decent cuppa?

      That video clip only served to give me ideas.

      Delete
  7. This is the northern way of making a cup of tea.


    ReplyDelete