Door Handle Bacteria

Door handle bacteria
A typical Door Handle

Everyday door handles are often hotspots for bacteria, public handles especially. Because of the frequent and inevitable use of most door handles, it can often be expected that bacteria are present.

Many factors determine the suitability and population of bacteria. The material of the handle itself contributes to the growth of bacteria, with most door handles being constructed with stainless steel these are more than suitable homes for bacteria. The material effects the time bacteria can survive on door handles, but more so the temperature and humidity of the surrounding air, depending on this bacteria can thrive anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.

A crucial factor in the bacterial growth and spread is the location of the handle. An internal handle on a rarely opened closet will have significantly fewer bacteria than the handles in a busy public bathroom due to the frequency of contact with people's hands.

The most obvious way to prevent the contraction and spread of direct contact diseases is to try not to touch door handles at all, of course this is not always possible. Therefore, thoroughly washing your hands after going to the bathroom or returning from a public place should be a behaviour that is instilled in children from an early age though this is not enough to stop most germs from breeding. Automatic doors are becoming more and more popular in hospitals, chemists and other public buildings due to them reducing the risk of cross-contamination since there is no need to handle the door at all. Another prevention technique, which is mainly used in luxury hotels, is the use of a doorman who will open and close the main door, screening visitors and deliveries. These mean passers through do not have to touch the door at all therefore eliminating all risk of catching or passing on direct contact diseases. Precautionary measures which can be taken in order to prevent such diseases include wearing gloves, using paper towel or tissues to open handles or using tools, like the loodini, to avoid using door handles all together.

Door handles provide a suitable environment for bacteria to spread easily, this makes it a hotspot for bacteria to gather and create colonies.

After a study conducted by the Worcester Polytechnic institute, WPI, gathered that 1323 bacterial colonies were displaced among 27 door handles. This study was conducted on the university campus, an area which is considered fairly dense in population, which many people will access these doors, providing a host for the bacteria to travel elsewhere. Flu viruses can have the potential to last up to 24 hours on door handles. Over this period of time, this gives measure for the bacteria to further spread or even other door handles. This bacteria on exposure can be harmful to humans, potentially infecting us with diseases such as e-coli, fungal or other viral infections. Many people may forget the potential for bacteria to thrive on door handles, and after exposure may touch their face, or other places that may lead to ingesting it into their body. The study conducted by WPI using a hidden camera discovered that out of 1,060 and over of a period of 35 minutes, 86 people touched their face after exposure with the door handle.