In 2011, NSF International conducted a "Germiest Places in the Home" study to identify germ hot spots in the home. NSF's microbiologists asked 22 families to swab 30 everyday household items ranging from kitchen surfaces to cell phones to pet items in order to measure contamination levels of yeast, mold, and coliform bacteria (a family of bacteria that includes Salmonella and E. coli).
The findings from this study indicated that there are common misconceptions about where the highest concentration of germs is found in the home. Learn more about these findings, the results of previous germ studies conducted by NSF, and how to best prevent the spread of germs and illness.
