The typical desk—home to the rarely cleaned keyboard, mouse, and phone—carries 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat, says University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, Ph.D. And since women tote more stuff to work (makeup, a change of shoes, Junior's macaroni art), their offices are usually twice as germy as their male colleagues'. One especially cringe-worthy hot spot: your handbag. "Women's purses tend to be really dirty, because they put their bags on the floor everywhere-even in the bathroom," says Gerba.
THE GERMIEST LOCALES IN YOUR OFFICE:
Keyboard: 719 germs per square inch
Mouse: 846
Handbag: 882
Desktop: 1270
Phone: 2180
Chair: 67,700
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