Looking for Bacteria

Dr. Chuck Gerba is professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona.  He is especially interested in how diseases are transferred through the environment.  So, he spends time swabbing household items and measuring how many bacteria - and what sort - develop. He is looking mainly for fecal bacteria such as E.coli and staphylococcus aureus.  Here are some things he's found out in his studies:

• There are not many things cleaner than a toilet seat when it comes to germs.  Usually there are about 200 times more fecal bacteria on the average cutting board than on a toilet seat.
• The filthiest household item is the kitchen sponge or cloth.  According to Gerba, there are about 10 million bacteria per square inch on a sponge, and a million on a dishcloth.  In other words, a kitchen sponge is 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat, and a dishcloth is 20,000 times dirtier.
• Shopping carts and grocery bags are loaded with bacteria.