HEALTH TIPS-WHY YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE YOUR PHONE TO TOILET.

Taking a newspaper into the toilet is so 20th century. These days, people are more likely to flick through their newsfeed. We all do it sometimes (admit it) even though it’s obvious sitting and scrolling isn’t the most hygienic activity. But it is really THAT bad? We asked three scientists about the dangers, and how to reduce the risk of picking up harmful bacteria. Firstly, the bad news. It is a pretty minging habit, and you could be exposing yourself and others to germs like salmonella, E. Coli and C. Difficile by using your phone in the loo.The main worry is if you wipe yourself, touch the flush or the lock then touch the phone without washing your hands (and as you need to carry it out the cubicle, that could happen quite easily.) But even just leaving it on the side could expose it to dangerous bugs. Uh oh. You can protect yourself, though. If you don’t want to give up those precious moments of ‘me time’, just be sensible about it. WHERE ARE THE DANGER ZONES? The door handle, the flush, the floor, the tap, the lock, the toilet roll holder… And the toilet itself, obviously. It could be scrupulously clean – but it might not be. And do you really want to risk it? Hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley told Metro you could do a risk assessment (stay with us). ‘Read the book or phone in your right hand, then transfer it to the left,’ she said. ‘Wipe with your right, flush with the right, carry the book or phone out in your left hand without touching anything else and then wash your hands.’ ‘Be aware of what your hands are touching.’‘If you wipe your bum then pick up your phone, you may as well not bother washing your hands because all the bacteria you put on your phone will end up back on your hands,’ Dr Ackerley said. ‘They might be your germs. They might be somebody else’s from the flush.’