Don't look back in anger

WITH SUMMER in full swing and festivals like Reading and Leeds soon to be drawing crowds in their thousands, festival goers around the country will be flocking to sites to soak up the sun, music and atmosphere. But amidst all the excitement, there’s one thing many don’t prepare for: falling ill days after the event and catching what’s become known as ‘festival flu’. 

 

As a professional in hygiene and specialist cleaning, I’ve seen firsthand just how fast illness can spread among people when they are gathered together in large groups, and one surprising culprit in helping to potentially spread germs could be your mobile phone. 

 

Here are my tips for avoiding falling ill at potential superspreader events like festivals. 

 

The hidden hygiene challenge at festivals

While festivals are packed with fun, they also bring a unique set of hygiene challenges. High-footfall environments, shared facilities, limited plumbing and unpredictable weather can quickly lead to germ hotspots.

 

Hands are one of the primary vehicles for cross contamination. At festivals, attendees regularly touch surfaces like food stalls, handrails, portable toilets, gates and communal seating, often while holding their mobiles phones for directions, tickets, timetables and selfies. Without proper hand hygiene, germs can easily transfer from person to person and surface to surface, increasing the risk of illness.

 

Phones can be ‘germier’ than a toilet seat

Shockingly, previous research conducted by Initial Washroom Hygiene, using ATP** swabs and an ATP bioluminescence reader to detect levels of biological life not visible to the human eye, found that the average smartphone harbours more than double the biological contamination of a toilet seat***. One phone even recorded a shocking contamination level over six times higher (558%).

 

A quarter of Brits admit to never cleaning their phones, despite 59%* admitting to using them while in the toilet. If you’re not cleaning your device, you could be carrying thousands of germs right back to your mouth, face or food. 

 

In the midst of all the festival fun, remember to disinfect your phone regularly (at least at the end of each day). Use an antibacterial wipe or a spray designed for electronics and avoid taking your phone into the toilet cubicle altogether if you can.

At festivals, people are constantly on the move, using their phones to take photos, check set times and find friends, and they may even use them in the portaloo,  which is more of a concern.

 

What most people do not realise is how quickly bacteria can build up on smartphones, especially when hand hygiene is not consistent. If you’re touching contaminated surfaces, then your phone and later your face or food, you are creating the perfect conditions for pathogens to spread.

 

Think of your phone as part of your hygiene routine. Just like washing your hands, regularly cleaning your phone could make all the difference in preventing the spread of illness.”

 

Five more ways to stay hygienic at festivals

1. Make handwashing a priority: Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the toilet, before eating and after disposing of waste. Where running water and soap are available, make full use of the facilities. Remember to dry your hands properly as wet hands spread bacteria more easily than dry ones. 

2. Carry alcohol-based hand sanitiser: At festivals, handwashing stations can run out of soap or running water. Carry alcohol-based hand sanitiser, containing at least 60% alcohol, and use it frequently throughout the day.

3. Avoid touching high-touch surfaces when possible: Door handles, condiment bottles and food packaging are high risk areas for cross contamination. Use a tissue or your sleeve to avoid direct contact, or sanitise your hands immediately after touching shared items. 

4. Use antibacterial wipes in portaloos: More and more festivals are starting to offer antibacterial surface wipes in their toilet cubicles. Wiping down surfaces like toilet seats and flush handles before and after use can significantly reduce the risk of germ transfer.

5. Watch where you dispose of waste: Overflowing bins and discarded tissues are not just unsightly, they are breeding grounds for bacteria. Dispose of waste properly and avoid placing personal items like water bottles or snacks on unclean surfaces. 

 

Festivals are meant to be memorable for the right reasons, not because you came home with a cold, stomach bug or worse. With crowds, shared facilities and outdoor conditions all increasing the risk of cross contamination, simple steps go a long way. 

 

If there’s one thing to do to avoid festival flu and protect your health this summer,  it’s to keep your hands and your phone clean. It may seem small but hygiene is your first and most effective line of defence. 

 

While the above tips are practical hygiene habits that anyone can follow, for event organisers and commercial operators looking to protect attendees, staff and customers, Initial Washroom Hygiene offers professional, expert washroom solutions. 

 

Smartphones vs toilet seats (average + high counts recorded) Smartphones (average 586 / high 1,455)  Toilet seat (average 220 / high 424)

The ATP reading scale of objects used by our hygiene experts > 500 units (indicates a high level of biological contamination) = 200-500 units (is considered to be within a normal range) < 200 units (indicates a low level of biological contamination)

 

About the consumer research

* This survey was taken on behalf of Initial Washroom Hygiene by Mortar of 2,074 nationally representative respondents in the UK between March-April 2024, with a cross section of age groups, regions, and backgrounds included in the sample.

 

**ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule found in and around living cells.

 

*** Detailed surface samples were taken from 50 separate smartphones in April 2024. 

 

Samples were taken using sterile surface swabs and a rapid ATP analysis was undertaken on each sample to establish the level of microbial-related contamination on the screens and backs of the mobile phones.  The units are expressed as Relative Light Units by this method, with a higher ATP reading suggesting a greater level of bacterial contamination. This technique is widely used to assess the cleanliness of surfaces before and after undertaking cleaning in hospitals and other premises.

 

For comparison, using the same swabbing method, Initial Washroom Hygiene previously collected data across various touchpoints within washrooms and the average reading for a toilet seat is 220 – therefore the average mobile phone reading is more than 6.5 times higher than a toilet seat.

Jamie Woodhall is UK technical and innovations manager at Initial Washroom Hygiene​

For more information, visit https://www.initial.co.uk/washroom/services