[Dailyan = Reporter Jeon Ki-yeon] A study has found that sofas are dirtier than toilet seats.
According to a recent ‘Household Hygiene Study’ conducted jointly by the UK Melvec Microbiology Institute and the sofa specialist brand Sofa Club, sofas were found to be the most contaminated area in the home.
The research team collected samples from the surfaces of sofas in six homes across the UK and analyzed them, discovering an average of 508,866 CFU (colony-forming units) per 100㎠. This is approximately 75 times higher than toilet seats (6,823 CFU) and over 84 times higher than kitchen trash cans (6,000 CFU).
Bacteria found on sofas mainly included E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, mold, and yeast, proliferating due to food residues, skin flakes, and pet excrement. These can cause allergies, infections, and skin diseases.
Sofas in homes with pets showed higher contamination levels, whereas sofas of single adults showed relatively lower levels.
Large amounts of bacteria were also detected on desks (5,932 CFU), laptop keyboards (5,800 CFU), TV remotes (3,739 CFU), and door handles (1,813 CFU).
Interior expert Monica Puccio pointed out, “Sofas serve as multifunctional spaces for dining, sleeping, and interacting with pets, but are a blind spot in hygiene management.”
She further explained, “If the sofa cover is removable, it should be washed at least once a month, and sprinkling baking soda and vacuuming it after 20-30 minutes can help sterilize it.”