Vapes are 3,000 times dirtier than the average toilet seat, study says

"Scientists have found that vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, are 3,000 times more infested with microscopic bugs than the average toilet seat. Lab experiments suggest the warm, moist environment of a vape mouthpiece can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi if not cleaned regularly. Reynold Mpofu, a microbiologist at BioLabTests, an independent lab based in Coventry, said 'every touch and puff' of a vape adds up. 'This evidence highlights the critical importance of regular cleaning and exceptional hygiene for vape devices,'"

"The experts observed rapid microbial growth between two and three days of use, with colonies multiplying thousands of times over. By day three, there were around 150,000 individual colony-forming units (CFUs) of fungi and bacteria found swabbed the vape mouthpiece. This alarming figure is as many as 3,000 times more than the bacteria found on a typical public toilet (50 CFUs per square inch) and the maximum amount measurable by the lab."

Lab experiments show the warm, moist vape mouthpiece becomes a rapid breeding ground for bacteria and fungi when not cleaned. Every touch and puff deposits microbes that accumulate quickly. Swabs taken at opening and after 24, 48 and 72 hours showed rapid growth between two and three days. By day three, about 150,000 colony-forming units of fungi and bacteria were present on the mouthpiece, up to 3,000 times higher than bacteria measured on a typical public toilet (50 CFUs per square inch). The mouthpiece proved the dirtiest component, underscoring the need for regular cleaning. Around 5.4 million people in the UK regularly vape, and vaping has been linked to heart failure, lung disease and gum disease.

Read at Mail Online