Are your gloves dangerous? Experts warn winter warmers could be crawling with bugs

19 November 2019, 15:58 | Updated: 22 November 2019, 16:35

They could contains the norovirus bug.

As temperatures start to plunge, winter is well and truly on its way, meaning that people are getting the gloves out to help beat the winter chill. However, you may have second thoughts when you learn that they could be crawling with nasty bugs.

Experts have revealed that winter gloves can shockingly harbour up to five times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. And, they could even be carrying bugs that cause norovirus - the dreaded winter vomiting bug. This can be partly due to people failing to wash their hands when wearing gloves, thus making them unhygienic. Polyester gloves are apparently the worst culprit for harbouring germs, followed by fleece, leather and wool.

A survey showed that more than 1,500 glove wearers found that 64 per cent of all people wash their gloves once a month or less, and 15 per cent claim to have never washed them at all.

This is alarming as only 30 per cent of those questioned said they generally wash their hands before putting on their gloves, and 44 per cent admitted that they never wash their hands once they’ve taken them off.

On top of that, 31 per cent said they believe their gloves will help protect them from bacteria and germs, and that is a reason why they are unlikely to wash their hands after wearing them.

READ MORE: Bugs could be living in your makeup brushes if you don't clean them regularly

Indeed, these statistics show how you could easily get ill, as washing your hands regularly is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of colds and viruses in the colder months. And although wearing gloves help to keep us warm, they do not protect us against germs and bacteria.

Our hands can encounter many potential contamination points - from shaking hands to holding handles on public transport and opening doors to even using a phone, there's a lot of ways we can pick up bugs.

To minimise the risk, wash your hands regularly, use anti-bacterial gel and wash your gloves, you can also make sure you clean surfaces including toilet handles, taps and door handles regularly with disinfectant to help to stop illnesses.

READ MORE: Norovirus outbreak forces UK school to close as over 100 children are taken ill