- Bacterial study carried out in laboratory.
- A third of drivers never clean their car keys.
- Best car-key cleaning practices revealed.
A study by UK car insurance specialist MoneySuperMarket (read the full report here) has revealed that car keys can contain 4 times more bacteria than a cellphone or computer keyboards - unlike keys, items that people tend to clean quite frequently.
The study includes lab work with microbiologist Dr Joe Latimer of Microbe Consulting, who found that car keys harbor 241 bacteria - substantially more than cell phone screens (66) and keyboards (68).
The research asked drivers about their key-cleaning habits and found that 1 in 3 (33%) have never cleaned their car keys, despite almost a quarter (24%) owning them for over five years.
While some of the bacteria found on car keys were harmless skin-dwellers, others weren’t so innocent.
“Nearly half of all the bacteria were skin-based”, explains Dr Latimer. “One of the keys we tested showed signs of bacteria that may have originated in the gut, around 15% of the total bacteria isolated. While unlikely to pose a problem, they can have the potential to carry disease under the right conditions.”
Which owners keep their keys the cleanest?
MoneySuperMarket’s survey of 2000 motorists uncovered big differences in key-cleaning habits based on the car brands people drive.
Over half (51%) of Nissan drivers admit they never clean their car keys. Nearly half of Volkswagen drivers (49%) are also guilty of not cleaning their car keys, despite the majority of them saying they clean their cell phone screens at least once a week.
Skoda (49%), Peugeot (47%), and Kia (43%) drivers are also among the motorists most likely to have never cleaned their car keys.
When it comes to the drivers most likely to clean their keys, BMW drivers take the most care, with almost a third (32%) saying they clean them daily. Over half (55%) of Mercedes-Benz drivers give their keys a weekly clean, followed by over 4 in 10 Land Rover drivers (46%). Audi (43%) and Toyota (41%) also rated highly.
How should you clean car keys?
Ten percent of drivers say they clean keys with bleach; but it’s best to avoid using harsh chemicals, especially on modern car keys, as they contain electronic components and circuits. Bleach can corrode or damage these components.
One in 6 drivers (15%) wash them in water and soap, but it’s important to be careful not to submerge keys in water.
Different keys will have different components and features, but for a simple, safe and basic clean, MoneySuperMarket advises:
- Use a soft, damp cloth and a mild soap solution to wipe down the exterior; this can help to get rid of grease, grime and germs from the car key fob.
- For stubborn dirt or grime, carefully use a toothpick or cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean crevices and between the keys.