Russian public concerned about bacteria on ceramics in hospitals, gyms and shops

Almost nine out of 10 people in Russia are worried about bacteria on ceramic surfaces in public places such as hospitals, gyms and shops, according to new research carried out for Microban.

“This shows that these concerns persist even in the home where people have a much greater degree of control over the cleanliness of the ceramics. It does appear that this is something about which there is a large degree of worry.”

Out of 500 people surveyed, 89% said that they were concerned about levels of bacteria present on tiled surfaces, sinks, baths, showers and more.

Richard Chapman, VP Global Marketing at Microban, the world leader in antibacterial technology, said: "It is understandable that the Russian public should be concerned about bacteria on ceramics in these kinds of public spaces.

"Areas where ceramics are used are usually, by their nature, places where hygiene is important, yet the standard of cleaning is often not always as thorough as you would like. It is clearly something that plays on the minds of many people."

Additionally, the research showed that 89% of the Russian public are similarly troubled by the likely presence of bacteria on ceramic surfaces such as baths and toilets in their bathrooms at home and 82% on sinks and tiles in their kitchens.

Chapman added: "This shows that these concerns persist even in the home where people have a much greater degree of control over the cleanliness of the ceramics. It does appear that this is something about which there is a large degree of worry."

The research further showed that if Microban technology was built into commonly found ceramics such as tiles and sinks to create an environment inhospitable to the growth of bacteria, it would meet with widespread approval. For example, 81% of people would feel reassured if this occurred in hospitals.

Chapman explained: "The antibacterial technology that we use in ceramics is highly effective and in laboratory tests prevented the growth of up to 99.9% of bacteria on the surface of the product. It features silver, which has a long history of safe use and can be found in a breadth of consumer, industrial and healthcare products."

SOURCE Microban International