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Thread: Bacteria on wristwatches

  1. #1
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Bacteria on wristwatches



    Tests find E. coli, staph bacteria on wristwatches (Feb 11, 2020)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sat4rRHpkF0

  2. #2
    Craftsman canuck's Avatar
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    I actually to launder my natos and once a month and wash down my phone and watches that I’ve worn with an antibacterial whatever hand cleaner. I basically put some on a surface and rub with hands then a cloth.

    Never really thought about the other bugs it was really just to get the oils off... although I do take them off when handling chicken.

  3. #3
    Grand Master MartynJC (UK)'s Avatar
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    ... compared to the door handles of a public loo.

    anyway my Fitbit and watch join me in the shower every morning - so they are as clean or dirty as I am at the start of the day.
    Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 15th February 2020 at 21:23.

  4. #4
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    You wouldnt get all those common bacteria on a Rolex, though.........

    Those are common to toilets and TAGs.


  5. #5
    Grand Master
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    Doesn't surprise me. Some of the watches I`ve worked on have been filthy, but owners don't seem to realise. Never actually considered a watch as a bio-hazard but I guess it's feasible.

  6. #6
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    So what?
    Bacteria are everywhere. Live with it, rather than getting all cleansy about it. Most strains of E.Coli are harmless anyway (from WHO)
    Proving that something has a few bugs on it is miles from having any kind of mechanism for actually showing that it is a contributor to any genuine ailment.
    This kind of rubbish really does try to engender a fear response that is actually counterproductive.
    Exposure to all sort of mild grubbiness prepares you for encountering something really dangerous. Get dirty

    D

  7. #7
    Journeyman
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    As I'm sure we all know, microbes cover every surface on Earth that is hospitable to life. It would be newsworthy if watches didn't carry microbes instead of carrying normal human flora.

  8. #8
    Master
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    Most of my watches find themselves submerged in soapy water, anti bac etc in a daily basis. Beyond that though, I couldn't care less.

  9. #9
    Master
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    If we didn't have bacteria we'd be inundated with fungi. We'd be in a pretty sorry state if it wasn't for bacteria

  10. #10
    Grand Master
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    Anyone who does these tests should include a swab of their mouth and perineum as a control. With bacteria like these, the problem is getting in the wrong place, not existing.

    Fun fact:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43674270

  11. #11
    Master KavKav's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackal View Post
    You wouldnt get all those common bacteria on a Rolex, though.........

    Those are common to toilets and TAGs.

    Of course not, the AD would have retained them!

  12. #12
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MartynJC (UK) View Post
    ... compared to the door handles of a public loo.

    anyway my Fitbit and watch join me in the shower every morning - so they are as clean or dirty as I am at the start of the day.
    I never touch loo door handles. Bit OCD about that.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  13. #13
    Master bobbee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    I never touch loo door handles. Bit OCD about that.
    I feel sorry for you having to leave the door open in public loos, Ian!

  14. #14
    As a matter of interest there was a recent study in the UK. They measured the bacteria on the hands of men who washed their hands after urinating, against those who don't. There was no difference at all. Our bodies are designed to fight off bacteria, if the weren't we would all be dead before our first birthday. Those who are incapable of fighting off bacteria, nature wants dead anyway.

    From a personal point of view, I never pick my nose if I haven't washed my hands after going to the toilet, that would be wrong
    Last edited by Wiggles; 16th February 2020 at 11:29.

  15. #15
    Grand Master AlphaOmega's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wiggles View Post
    As a matter of interest there was a recent study in the UK. They measured the bacteria of the hands of men who washed their hands after urinating, against those who don't. There was no difference at all. Our bodies are designed to fight off bacteria, if the weren't we would all be dead before our first birthday. Those who are incapable of fighting off bacteria, nature wants dead anyway.
    I should imagine the level of bacteria would differ if the gentlemen in question were depositing faecal matter.

  16. #16
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    ...and we have more bacterial cells in our bodies than human ones

  17. #17
    Master raptor's Avatar
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    A prudent watchmaker washes his hands before going to the toilet ;)

  18. #18
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by trident-7 View Post
    ...and we have more bacterial cells in our bodies than human ones
    Yeah - apparently a human body should properly be regarded as a colony of many forms of life rather than a single entity!!
    Also, you read about all these amazing cleaning products that can kill all the bacteria on work surfaces? Apparently, even if you succeed in killing them all, the surfaced is recolonised by new bacteria within half an hour anyway!

  19. #19
    Master TimeThoughts's Avatar
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    I'm chilled about all the bacteria stuff and it never bothered me but a few years ago on some Channel4 thing they swabbed a toilet door handle in a pub toilet and cultured it, was some serious stuff in the mix. Had a noticeable impact on me and I do the old sleeve over the hand thing sometimes which is silly really. I wouldn't worry so much about a watch strap.

  20. #20
    Master
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    A half hourly jet wash followed by a steam clean then final wipe with an antibacterial cloth keeps mine fresh...

  21. #21
    Good reason not to lick your watches:-)

  22. #22
    I don't worry too much about bacteria on my watches. If they are in the current rotation they get washed occasionally, less then once a week that's for sure.

    Mind you I have picked up some real mingers in my time.

    For instance I got this DW-5600C (Speed) form Japan and it seemed to have things growing on it.








































    Whats the problem though, I got the watch cheap because those were the sellers photos and I could see under the crap it was in great condition. Cleaned up real nice.








































    Mitch

  23. #23
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobbee View Post
    I feel sorry for you having to leave the door open in public loos, Ian!
    Ha ha ha ha ha!
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  24. #24
    Master animalone's Avatar
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    People are gross

  25. #25
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TimeThoughts View Post

    .......

    I do the old sleeve over the hand thing sometimes which is silly really.

    ...
    If I were you I'd get that sleeve checked.

  26. #26
    Master Ruggertech's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by animalone View Post
    People are gross
    Looks like the bottom of a pair of sales corner shoes!!!

    Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

  27. #27
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mitch View Post
    Mind you I have picked up some real mingers in my time.

    For instance I got this DW-5600C (Speed) form Japan and it seemed to have things growing on it.
    Blimey! That looks like some kind of fungal growth feeding on the skin gunk.

  28. #28
    Hmmm..maybe I should stop kissing my watch goodnight from now on.

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