Office workers are exposed to more germs from their phones and keyboards than toilet seats, scientists reveal.

Work stations contain nearly 400 times as many microbes than lavatories, it is claimed.

Office equipment should be regularly disinfected to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria responsible for disease.

The reality of our grubby working environments is exposed in a study by the University of Arizona.

A desk is capable of supporting 10 million microbes and the average office contains 20,961 microbes per square inch, according to research. Keyboards

Your fingers would collect fewer germs from tapping on the typical toilet seat than they do from using the average keyboard or mouse.

Gerba found that office toilet seats had an average of 49 germs per square inch. Germ counts on computer keyboards were more than 60 times higher, averaging 3,295 bacteria per square inch. Nail biters take note!