Toothbrushes and showerheads 'covered in viruses' new study unveils

In what's been described as 'absolutely wild' findings, toothbrushes and showerheads contain viruses 'unlike anything we've seen before'.

A new study has revealed that bacteriophages are present in the household items. Researchers, from Northwestern University in Illinois, swabbed 92 showerheads and 36 toothbrushes after which they found the mind-blowing results.

Viruses and bacteria are usually found in spaces that are damp, so the two places are a natural breeding ground and it did not come as a surprise to scientists.

In fact, the research found bacteria on showerheads are at levels 100 times over than those found in tap water.

“The number of viruses that we found is absolutely wild,” said Northwestern’s Erica M. Hartmann, who led the study, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiomes. “We found many viruses that we know very little about and many others that we have never seen before. It’s amazing how much untapped biodiversity is all around us. And you don’t even have to go far to find it; it’s right under our noses.”

“This project started as a curiosity,” Hartmann said. “We wanted to know what microbes are living in our homes. If you think about indoor environments, surfaces like tables and walls are really difficult for microbes to live on. Microbes prefer environments with water. And where is there water? Inside our showerheads and on our toothbrushes.”

To clean your shower head, all you need is the "right household remedy", say bathroom experts at Villeroy and Boch. While many people turn to baking soda or white vinegar to remove limescale, these methods can be "time-consuming", reports the Express.

Instead, they recommend using citric acid, which "dissolves stubborn limescale" for "perfect results". The experts stated: "Cleaning with baking powder or with vinegar is very gentle on the material, but is somewhat time-consuming.

"A quicker way is to use citric acid, which can be found in powder form at all chemists. Please always follow the dosage and safety instructions on the packaging." Citric acid is a fantastic addition to any natural cleaning arsenal, thanks to its low pH making it highly acidic, perfect for removing things like calcium (limescale), rust, and other minerals.

It's also great for killing mould and mildew and can even be used as a preservative. Households are being warned about the corrosive nature of citric acid and advised to either wear gloves or wash their hands immediately after use to prevent skin irritation. Firstly, remove the shower head and submerge it in a bowl of water, reports Mirror Online.

Health Expert Dr Ellie Phillips took to her TikTok page, with 201,000 followers, to reveal just how grim our brushes can get. The Austin, Texas-based dentist advises people to dry their toothbrushes directly after cleaning the product and to use it again after 24 hours.

In a clip, Ellie shared her tip and said: "Here's what I want you to do with your toothbrush every day to help you have the best oral health possible," she said at the beginning of the clip. "Toothbrushes get really dirty, especially when they're close to a toilet, in a damp climate where there is humidity, in your shower, in your bathroom, and humidity is the worst thing for growing moulds."