Killer bacteria thrive in your motor

21st June 2010

YOUR car could be making you sick! Bacteria can thrive in your motor, even in the screenwash bottle. That’s the message from researchers at the Government’s Health Protection Agency, who revealed legionella – the microbe that causes the lethal Legionnaire’s disease – breeds in stagnant and untreated windscreen washer water.

The cabin is also a hotbed of germ growth. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus bugs – linked with food poisoning, skin infections and vomiting – were both discovered during recent research for Halfords. Air vents, door handles, seat cushions, floor mats and regularly used switches can all harbour germs. Dr Anthony Hilton, a microbiology expert from Birmingham’s Aston University, said: “People would be horrified at the prospect of eating from a toilet seat. They ought to be aware that eating from a contaminated dashboard may represent the same health hazards.”

A 2008 study by Dr Hilton found the potentially lethal E.coli living in cars. A Halfords spokesman said that 70 per cent of drivers eat or drink in their cars, and it was vital that food debris was cleared up. “The interior should be cleaned once a week, using a vacuum first, then a car-cleaning product.”