Warning for Anybody Who Wears Socks To Bed.
A new study revealed that a swab analysis of people’s socks showed they are likely to carry the same bacteria as cockroaches and their faecal droppings.
New research has found that socks worn by people in bed are “dirtier than a toilet”. According to a study by MattressNextDay, experts discovered the same bacteria found on cockroaches and their faecal droppings on people’s bed socks.
As part of the research, scientists swabbed different people’s socks that were worn from 7am to 11pm. Each person wore the same socks while wearing shoes, exercising and going about their daily routine.
To compare the bacteria in germ-ridden hotspots, they then swabbed a doormat and TV remote to reveal which one was the dirtiest. The results confirmed that the bacteria found on the socks and doormat were the same – suggesting that they were just as dirty as each other.
In previous studies, a TV remote has been described as “dirtier than a toilet” however MattressNextDay’s findings reveal that the socks of the participants were even dirtier than a remote – meaning people are potentially spreading bacteria in an area where they spend a third of their life.
The swab analysis also revealed that people’s socks are likely to feature the same bacteria found on cockroaches and their faecal droppings – known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Dr Deborah Lee at Dr Fox Online Pharmacy said: “Pseudomonas infection only poses a threat to those who are immunocompromised, such as people with diabetes, cystic fibrosis, burns, cancer, organ transplant recipients and newborn babies. We need to keep pseudomonas levels under control to protect this portion of the population who are vulnerable.”
Additional research by MattressNextDay also found that only 30 per cent of people change their socks before getting into bed. Dr Deborah Lee added: “At night, the bed is warm, and you are sweating, so this is an ideal breeding ground for pathogens, such as pseudomonas, staphylococcus aureus and E.coli.
“I would recommend getting into bed in clean pyjamas and a clean pair of bed socks – if you choose to wear socks in bed.”
