Germaphobia On The Rise

 While teenagers are known for their filthy habitats, a recent survey of a thousand college-age folks finds that nearly half (45%) are “hyperconscious of germs.”

The poll from College Rover also reveals:

• Almost half (47%) of respondents say they wash their hands five to 10 times a day, and nearly a third (32%) lather up almost twice that often, between 11 and 20 times daily.
• And it’s not just their hands that are clean, 31% of Gen Z also change the sheets on their bed more than once a week.
• These young people are so serious about cleanliness, almost three in 10 college students admit to reporting a roommate to their resident advisor (RA) over messiness-related issues.
• But they’re probably not overreacting, as the research reveals how filthy campus dorms, dining halls, bathrooms and computer labs can be.
• According to the report, dining tables in the average college cafeteria have 60-thousand times more bacteria than a typical household toilet seat.
• Laundry rooms are even worse - with more than 30-million colony-forming bacteria in them.

With 45% of Gen Z being hyperconscious of germs, they are by far the biggest germaphobes. 38% of Millenials, 30% of Gen X, 27% of Baby Boomers, only 18% of the Silent Generation.