Women’s handbags, Smartphones and tablets contains thousands more germs than a toilet seat.

Research revealed that the dirtiest item in the average handbag is hand cream bottles, hand cream was found to carry more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

Lipstick and mascara packets were found to be little better.

The tests, carried out by Initial Washroom Hygiene, also revealed that leather handbags are the most bacteria-riddled as the spongy texture provides the perfect conditions for bacteria to grow and spread.

The researchers suggest that women should regularly clean their hands and bags with antibacterial wipes or gel to prevent cross-contamination.

Handbags come into regular contact with our hands and a variety of surfaces, so the risk of transferring different germs onto them is very high, especially as bags are rarely cleaned. 

Once these germs are on the bags, they can easily be transferred via hands onto other surfaces. 

What is inside your handbag?

Smartphones and tablets:

Research also reveals that Some touch screens on tablet computers and smartphones carry many more germs than a toilet seat.

The bacteria are being left behind as users swipe and poke the screens of devices such as Apple iPads and Samsung Galaxy tablets without washing their hands.

One tablet tested by consumer group Which? had a count of 600 units per swab of the staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can create toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

A typical toilet seat has a staphylococcus aureus count of less than 20.

Which? also found enterobacteria, which can include strains of infections such as E. coli and salmonella.

High-risk levels, more than 1,000 units of enterobacteria per swab, were found on eight of the 30 tablets tested and seven of the 30 smartphones.

The worst, tablet had a count of 15,000 units per swab, with four phones and five keyboards also registering this level.

Toilet seats typically had less than ten units per swab of enterobacteria.

Firms like Apple actively discourage users from using detergents on their touchscreens because they can damage them.

The presence of the germs is simply a reflection of the fact that touchscreen users failed to wash their hands properly, while few people bother to clean the devices and keyboards.

 'It’s shocking that a smartphone or tablet can harbour more germs than a toilet seat. Gadgets should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly to avoid germs that could lead to illness.'

The best method is to use a  damp, soft, lint-free cloth, rather than detergents. Apple warns people not to use alcohol-based cleaners on iPads or iPhones, as these can damage the screen.

Regular hand sanitisation is essential to prevent the presence of bacteria in the first place and thorough cleaning of bags is recommended to prevent the build-up of contamination.