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What Germs Do You Transfer From Person to Person From Your Computer Keyboard?

Sharing a keyboard can be a risky activity, but sometimes it's an unavoidable one at school, work or home. While all kinds of germs thrive on computer keyboards, you can prevent getting sick from someone else's virus or bacteria lurking on the keyboard by using safeguards that are easy to carry with you in a purse, pocket or backpack. You can also wash your hands thoroughly before and after using a computer keyboard to minimize spreading any germs you may carry to others.

  1. Significance

    • Germs exist on all kinds of surfaces, but studies have found that computer keyboards can be one of the most germ-covered objects around, since people do not clean them on a regular basis. Germs transfer from mouth to hand easily and some germs can live for over 48 hours on a surface. In that amount of time, germs from computer keyboards can infect quite a few people in public places, schools or libraries from communally used equipment.

    Types

    • Researchers have found cold and flu viruses on keyboards, along with certain strains of the antibiotic- resistant and potentially dangerous enterococcus bacteria, which can cause intestinal problems. It's possible to find many kinds of staph bacteria on keyboards, as well as the occasional fecal coliform bacteria. People who are handling raw meat or contaminated fruit or vegetables can transfer E. coli and salmonella to a computer keyboard if they do not wash their hands sufficiently after handling the food.

    Considerations

    • Although it's possible to pick up germs from others by way of a computer keyboard, it's also easy to deposit them yourself if you do not realize you are sick. People are capable of sharing flu germs one day before the symptoms appear, so it's difficult to know when you should be careful about sharing a computer keyboard with others. The common cold virus is active 48 to 72 hours before symptoms appear, so even the most conscientious people can innocently spread germs on keyboards without knowing they are carrying a virus.

    Prevention

    • If you need to use a keyboard in a public place, you can bring sanitizing wipes along with you to run over the keyboard before using it. Use a light pressure so you don't inadvertently send computer keystrokes that could harm the operating system. Do not touch your face with your hands while using the keyboard and before you leave the building, thoroughly wash your hands in a restroom using hot water and soap. At home, cleaning the keyboard each morning can also reduce the germ population, especially during cold and flu season. Before you turn your computer on, wipe the keys off with a cloth dampened with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide or by disconnecting the keyboard from a running computer to wipe it down, then plugging the keyboard back in to use the computer.

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