This is gross.
Turns out handbags are the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacterias.
According to
The Daily Mail, a study revealed that one in five handbag handles carries sufficient bacteria which could be harmful to humans.
It also found that the handbag which carries the most germs are leather ones. This is because their spongy texture gives bacteria the perfect conditions to grow and spread.
When it comes to the items in your handbag the dirtiest is hand cream with some bottles carrying more bacteria than an average toilet seat.
The only way to combat any health issues from bacteria is to clean handbags regularly with antibacterial wipes.
Peter Barratt, Technical Manager at Initial Hygiene, said, "Handbags come into regular contact with our hands and a variety of surfaces, so the risk of transferring different germs onto them is very high, especially as bags are rarely cleaned.
Once these germs are on the bags, they can easily be transferred via hands onto other surfaces.
Regular hand sanitisation is essential to prevent the presence of bacteria in the first place and thorough cleaning of bags is recommended to prevent the build-up of contamination."