The car you drive could be a breeding ground for potentially deadly bacteria and viruses, according to new research from the University of Nottingham.
A study, which collated data from drivers around the country, found that 51 per cent of motorists say they drop food and rubbish in their cars, creating the perfect environment for bugs.
If perishable remains are left to rot inside a car, bacterial and viral cultures can develop and potentially allow spores to circulate around the inside of the vehicle’s cabin.
University researchers took swabs from the steering wheels, footwells and seats of the drivers surveyed, finding microbes linked to deadly E.coli and MRSA infections.
Worse still, 60 per cent of the drivers surveyed as part of the study admitted to still eating food in their car, with a quarter saying that they only clean their cars once every three months at the most.
The study also enlisted the help of celebrity cleaner and television presenter Kim Woodburn, who is one half of the duo behind the successful programme How Clean Is Your House.
Kim said: “It feels as if so many Brits don’t think twice about chucking their half-drunk bottles of pop under the seat or leaving tissues which they’ve blown their snotty noses in the foot well of their vehicles.
“I was absolutely horrified to find some of the gunk that was hidden under some drivers’ seats – and it was really worrying to find the presence of a pathogen that could lead to E.coli.”
Kate Rose, a spokesperson for the study, added: “You normally hear stories of people taking real pride in their car, cleaning it every weekend and ensuring it’s immaculate at all times.
"It’s really worrying to see, then, just how dirty people are letting their cars get. We were expecting to find some bad stuff from the University of Nottingham’s testing but we didn’t expect to find bacteria relating to E.coli in there.”
