America's newest water safety challenge is something you've never heard of

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Updated 2:27 PM ET, Thu December 17, 2020

Think the toilet is the dirtiest spot in the house? You'd be wrong. <br />"There's more fecal bacteria in your kitchen sink than there is in a toilet after you flush it," said microbiologist Charles Gerba, known as "Dr. Germ."
Photos: Germiest spots in your home
Think the toilet is the dirtiest spot in the house? You'd be wrong.
"There's more fecal bacteria in your kitchen sink than there is in a toilet after you flush it," said microbiologist Charles Gerba, known as "Dr. Germ."
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But if you flush with the toilet lid up, you can be spreading fecal material more than six feet. Yes, that means your toothbrush, towels and soap are being spattered with fecal matter.
Photos: Germiest spots in your home
But if you flush with the toilet lid up, you can be spreading fecal material more than six feet. Yes, that means your toothbrush, towels and soap are being spattered with fecal matter.
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"E coli grows quite well on towels. You'll get more E-coli in your face when you dry your face with a towel at home than if you stuck your head in a toilet and flushed," Gerba said. And a cold water wash won't kill those germs, you have to use hot water and high heat to dry.
Photos: Germiest spots in your home
"E coli grows quite well on towels. You'll get more E-coli in your face when you dry your face with a towel at home than if you stuck your head in a toilet and flushed," Gerba said. And a cold water wash won't kill those germs, you have to use hot water and high heat to dry.
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