Using your phone on the toilet

Are you reading this article on the toilet? If so, no judgement here. We’ve all done it.

Taking your phone into the bathroom is kind of like peeing in the shower. Everyone knows it’s gross, but many people do it anyway.

Three in four Americans confess to using their phone on the toilet, with 96 percent of Gen Zers saying they won’t even go into the bathroom without their phone, according to a recent survey of 2,114 people done by Bank My Cell, a trade-in gadget company. (Weird fact: 40 percent of survey respondents said they use their phone to set “mood music” for using the toilet.)

Germ researchers are well aware of this potentially dirty habit.

“I see people take their phone into the bathroom all the time, and cell phones do pick up lots of germs,” says Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona who studies microbe transmission through everyday household objects.

So we’re not necessarily here to convince you not to take your phone to the bathroom, but we do want to signal you about the consequences it has and what you can do to be as hygienic as possible. (These tricks to avoiding germs actually don’t work.)

Your phone is 10 times dirtier than a toilet seat

One of the worst places to use your phone is in the bathroom because when you flush the toilet germs spray everywhere, including on your phone, says Emily Martin, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

The problem is that most of us don’t think of phones as dirty. You may make sure to wash your hands after each and every time you use the bathroom, but you probably aren’t also cleansing your phone, she says.

Yet it’s been everywhere your hands have been—and then you hold it right up to your eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

It may have even more germs than other bathroom items, including the toilet seat you’re sitting on, says Gerba.

This is because toilets get cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis, but most people don’t have a regular cleaning schedule for their phones (if they remember to clean them at all).

What the science says

If you’re a healthy adult, your immune system does a pretty great job of keeping germs out. But that doesn’t mean it’s fine to handle a bacteria-laden phone all day long.

People can and do get sickened by pathogens they pick up from ordinary objects all the time, and your phone is one of the worst offenders, says Gerba. (Discover the germ-spreading items you’re probably carrying right now.)

An estimated 92 percent of phones were contaminated with potentially problematic bacteria, according to a study done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Researchers swabbed over 300 samples from 12 cities across the UK and also found that 16 percent were positive for E. coli (Escherichia coli), a type of bacteria found in fecal matter that sickens over 265,000 people in the United States every year. Results varied widely from city to city, with nearly half of one town’s phones showing fecal matter.

A 2020 study, done in the United States, shows that germy phones aren’t just a UK problem.

Volunteers swabbed over 3,500 phones at sporting events across the country and researchers sequenced the DNA of each sample to identify the different types of bacteria. They found a surprisingly wide variety of microbes, both harmful and not.

A third study, done in Iran in 2017, looked at phones carried by health care workers, particularly those who work in hospitals.

They swabbed 125 phones from health care workers and 50 from non-health care workers and found that phones in both groups carried many types of pathogens and bacteria that can cause serious illness, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

MRSA is a dangerous type of bacteria that sickened 120,000 Americans and killed 20,000 in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Your phone can get damaged too

Phones and water don’t generally go well together, and bathrooms tend to be very wet places.

One in five people said they’ve dropped their phone in the toilet, according to the Bank My Cell survey. Not only is that frustrating and gross, but it can be costly to fix or replace a waterlogged phone.

Even if you don’t drop it in the toilet, trying to juggle it while you pull up your pants  can lead to an unfortunate drop onto hard tile or cement. (Here’s why you shouldn’t put a soaked phone in rice.)

How to clean your phone

You absolutely should be cleaning your phone, our experts say. This includes both a surface clean to remove dirt, debris, and smudges, and disinfection to kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

The simplest way is to use antibacterial screen wipes. These wipes are made specifically for electronic devices and can be used on sensitive touch screens on most phones. Do not use regular cleaners on screens or camera lenses.

Clean and disinfect the outside of your phone by removing the outer case, if you use one. Wash the case thoroughly with soap and water or disinfectant. Make sure it’s completely dry before putting it back on your phone.

Spray disinfectant on a soft cloth (not directly on your phone) and wipe down the sides, buttons, and back, being careful not to get anything in the external ports or screen.

Be sure to give the screen, the case, and the exterior of your phone a good scrubbing.

Wiping a plastic surface three times decreased the amount of bacteria by 88 percent, while wiping it only once left most of the bacteria, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Ultraviolet (UV) light boxes are another way to sanitize hard objects, including phones. You place your phone inside the box for a short period of time and the UV light kills the microbes.

Disinfecting against COVID-19

Antibacterial cleaners are ineffective against viruses, and even cleaners that claim to kill most germs can miss COVID-19, the CDC cautions.

Sanitize your phone every single day

The CDC recommends daily disinfecting of “high-touch” surfaces, including cell phones.

Make it a habit by connecting it with something else you already do, like brushing your teeth or plugging your phone in to charge at night.

It’s worth it to take the extra minute each day to sanitize your phone, says Martin.

When it comes to your health, taking your phone into the bathroom is about the same level of risk as using the bathroom and not washing your hands, she says.

Next, check out the 10 germ-spreading habits to give up now.

From the academic to the comedic to the downright strange, podcasts come in every genre and cover every topic. You might be intimidated by the sheer number of them, let alone by the mechanics of how to listen to podcasts in the first place.

If that’s the case for you, we can help you get started.

How to listen to podcasts on an Apple product

If you have an iPhone, iPod, or iPad, your device should already be equipped with the Apple Podcast app. (If you’re looking for it, the icon is purple with two white circles surrounding a figure.) Free to use, the app allows you to browse, sample, and subscribe to podcasts. When you subscribe, new episodes will download automatically.

If, for whatever reason, the app isn’t on your Apple device, you can find it in the App Store and download it for free.

How to listen to podcasts on an Android phone

Many Android devices come pre-installed with the Google Podcast app, which functions much the way the Apple Podcast app does. The Google Podcast app icon features a multi-coloured diamond against a white background.

But there are plenty of podcast apps you can use. Popular options include Spotify, SoundCloud, Pocket Casts, and Stitcher. Many of these apps work on both Apple and Android devices, and most of them are free. (Some offer different tiers of service with the most basic one being free.)

There are also podcast platforms devoted to particular genres. Laughable, for instance, features comedic content.

How to listen to podcasts online

Don’t have a smartphone or a tablet? You can still enjoy podcasts because all you really need is an Internet connection.

Many of the apps we mentioned earlier also have their own websites where you can download and listen to podcasts for free. But many organizations, including virtually every major news outlet, offer podcasts as well. If there’s a publication or a public figure you like, just visit their websites. More often than not, you’ll find they have podcasts that are right up your alley.

Next, check out the best Canadian podcasts.

Before the pandemic hit, people who visited the historic harbour town of Cobourg, Ontario, may have occasionally found themselves doing a double-take. Seeing folks all dressed up in early 1900s attire made those passing by stop and stare. It was a busy year of filming in Cobourg and the downtown core seemed to change its wardrobe on a weekly basis. For example, just one week later, the scene changed to an American setting by replacing every Canadian flag with the Stars and Stripes for the filming of Ginny & Georgia. I can only imagine what the visitors must be thinking when they see such a dramatic change of setting, wondering if they’ve taken a wrong turn!

Up until 2020, filming activities in this picturesque town made these sights quite common. Cobourg had become one of the province’s go-to locations for filming. In 2019, production companies who filmed there included Shaftesbury Murdoch Inc. (Murdoch Mysteries), Netflix (Ginny & Georgia), TF Content Ltd. (Hey Lady!) and Marblemedia (Landscape Artist of the Year Canada).

Cobourg boasts many historic Victorian and Edwardian buildings, which makes the town a good filming location for Murdoch Mysteries. Victoria Hall, which was built in 1859, is a perfect “stunt-double” for Toronto’s old Union Station. In fact, fans have fun picking out local settings around town. The Ravensworth Manor, named and styled after the Ravensworth Plantation in Virginia, was a breathtaking location for the wedding of Constable Henry Higgins (played by Lachlan Murdoch) and Ruth Newsome (Siobhan Murphy). The boardwalk in Victoria Park is the scene for a fast-paced roller-skating episode in Season 10, where Murdoch investigates the murder of one of the champions in this ruthless sport, and Bagot Street also offered a perfect stage for a bicycle chase-scene. Viewers have now witnessed Constable George Crabtree (portrayed by Canadian actor Jonny Harris) ask two different women on two separate occasions for their hand in marriage. Both proposals took place at the pergola in Victoria Park, with Lake Ontario in the background.

Ginny & Georgia is a Netflix series set during the present day, in a fictional town called Wellsbury, in New England. Part of the first season was filmed in Cobourg throughout 2019. El Camino Restaurant became the “Blue Farm Cafe.” Scotiabank became “Beachway Trust, Massachusetts” and the versatile Victoria Hall starred once again as the backdrop for the local fall fair.

Another show, called Hey Lady!, is a CBC GEM original comedy series, starring veteran Canadian actors Jayne Eastwood and Jackie Richardson. One trailer features a scene in the historical “Old Bailey” courtroom inside Victoria Hall, while the series Landscape Artist of the Year Canada highlights the famous view from Cobourg harbour in one episode.

Adam Bureau, coordinator of arts, culture and tourism for the Town of Cobourg, stated prior to the pandemic that audience “followings” are attracting more tourism: “In Cobourg, the arts are so popular and all of these events bring together the community spirit and add to the economy.”

At the moment, due to COVID-19, the town has had to turn down requests to film in Victoria Hall, which is presently closed to the public. Murdoch Mysteries was in town briefly in November 2020, filming on private property at Cobourg’s eastern edge. Any future filming will include detailed COVID-19 policies and procedures.

The pandemic and social distancing are also affecting background actors (extras). Miranda Lukaniuk-Lipovisek, who has 30 years of experience in the film industry (and created Local BG Talent), has a new workshop called, “Getting Back Into Background Post-Pandemic,” that she says highlights “all you need to know about the film industry protocols that have enabled our industry to continue to operate.” Miranda’s goal is to keep working to develop digital technology with a local company, Kleurvision, that will change the way background performers are cast for productions across Ontario, for the better.

In September 2019, I stopped by the Murdoch Mysteries set at the Old Market building. When I joined the gaggle of women watching from across the street, several of them asked anxiously, “Have you seen him?” Everyone smiled. We all knew the “him” was Yannick Bisson, who portrays Detective William Murdoch.

COVID-19 has created a mountain of challenges, but things are progressing to a new normal. There will be “Lights, Camera, Action” once again in Cobourg and we all look forward to spotting “him” in the near future.

Next, read the fascinating story of Ontario’s most famous ghost town.

The one wedding, other than my own, that I remember well is my mother’s. Not many people can say the first wedding they ever attended was their mom’s, but I can. I was nine when my mother got married.

It was December 1969. My mother worked for a local drugstore in Chatham, Ontario, and the time was fast approaching for the annual Christmas party. This particular year, everyone had to bring a date. Mom had been divorced since January 1962. I don’t recall her going on any other dates, but she needed one for this occasion. Mom had met a man a few years earlier at a church camp. She decided he would be a great candidate as her escort to the Christmas party. When she finally got up the nerve, she called Ron in London and asked him if he would be her escort. Since he already knew she had three sons, why he ever said yes is beyond me. Anyway, he readily agreed and arrangements were made.

Did I mention that his name was Ron? Ron Armstrong? Flashback five months earlier to July 1969. A man named Neil Armstrong had just walked on the moon. Now, a man named Ron Armstrong was taking my mother on a date. To me, the man that walked on the moon was going to date my mother. As a nine-year-old boy, no one could tell me any different. I didn’t hear the name “Ron,” I only heard “Armstrong” and that was enough for me. My mom was dating an astronaut! I was going to be the coolest kid in school. I told all my friends about it and couldn’t understand why no one believed me.

Finally the day arrived when I was going to meet the astronaut. I don’t know who was more excited about this date, my mother or me. He arrived. He wasn’t the astronaut. He was just some guy from London that wanted to date my mother. I was devastated. How could my mother do that to me? How was I going to face all my friends at school on Monday?

A New Beginning

It didn’t turn out all that badly, though. Apparently, Ron was taken with me and decided to ask my mother out for another date and I was invited along! Ron wanted to take Mom and me to a New Year’s Eve party at our church. My brothers Mike and Tim came along as well. Ron was obviously not scared off by Mom’s three sons, because he came back for more.

Ron, who eventually became our dad, said that I didn’t influence his decision to marry my mom, but I doubt that very much. During that second date, I went up to him, tugged on his suit jacket and said “Gee, Mr. Armstrong, I sure would like to have you for a father.” Now, how could any man refuse an invitation like that? Since he didn’t run away, I can only conclude that he agreed with my idea. Six weeks later, he proposed to Mom. Five months later, they were married. I don’t know if it was my mom’s suggestion to get married so quickly (being afraid he may change his mind about her and her three sons), or if it was his idea (wanting to get it over with before he actually realized what he had gotten himself into).

Ron proposed to Mom on Valentine’s Day, 1970. It was a Saturday night and I had my pajamas on. Mom was sitting on the couch with Ron right next to her, when she called me to her. When I got there, I sat on the arm of the couch. Normally that would have been a capital offense and I would have been punished, but for some reason that didn’t happen. Mom said, “Mr. Armstrong just asked me to marry him. How would you like a new father?” I didn’t answer her. I guess my actions spoke louder than words. I literally flew over her and landed on Ron’s lap facing him with my arms around his neck. I remember that moment as if it happened yesterday. I was getting a new father! I didn’t care anymore that he never went to the moon—I was there myself knowing I was getting a dad.

Lessons Learned

June 13th 1970 arrived very quickly. As a nine year old, there wasn’t much I could do in the wedding but Mom and “Dad” were able to find something: my job was to “give away” the bride. When the minister asked “Who gives this woman to this man?” I was to stand and say as loudly as possible, “My brothers and I.” How many nine-year-old boys can honestly say they gave away their Mom?

My mom always said that living with and raising three boys by herself was very difficult. Not only was it lonely, but stressful as well. Now with Ron in the picture she felt things were going to get a little easier. I thought things were going to be great.

We moved from Chatham to London, from a small one-bedroom apartment to a three bedroom home with its own backyard. It wasn’t long after we moved that I learned a very valuable lesson, as well as one of the perks of having both a mother and a father.

I believe it was the day we arrived in London. I wanted to ride my bike around the block and proceeded to ask Mom if I could. Her answer was “no.” I was so disappointed. I wanted to explore this new world. I then came up with a great idea. I asked Dad if I could go. His answer was “yes.” So around the block I went thinking this was great. Whenever Mom said “no” to anything, all I had to do was ask Dad and he’d say “yes.” This having a father was going to be a real good thing!

And then I got home! Mom was not happy. I got punished for disobeying her. “But Dad said it was okay to go around the block,” I argued. Not a good thing to say. Not only did I get in trouble with Mom, but so did Dad! He got off easy as he was new at being a father, but apparently I was to know better than to ask him after I had asked her. So I did learn a lesson. From then on, I asked Dad first.

I don’t know if Mom caught on that I was asking him first or not, but eventually Dad started answering me by asking “What did your mother say?” Well, I was back to square one again.

Dream Dad

My mom may not have married an astronaut, but she sure married a man who was out of this world. He was the best thing to happen to me in my short nine years. Dad passed away in 1992, so I had only 22 years with him, and yet we shared so many wonderful times together.

Dad loved sports and we were able to share a number of events together. When he and Mom first got married, he was the business manager for the “Chester Pegg Diamonds,” which was an Ontario Intercounty baseball team. His involvement enabled me to be a ball boy at a number of the games. This helped fuel my love for the game. Together we also saw the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and the Detroit Pistons. Dad also took me to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the “Indy 500.”

Dad was not a handy fellow around the house. Whatever needed to be done, my mother either did it or a handyman was called in. I may not have learned how to do things around the house from him, but he taught me many other things. He taught me to be compassionate, but also passionate; how to love unconditionally; how to fall asleep anywhere, anytime; and how to treat my own children.

I remember a couple of days before he died, I was sitting by his side in the hospital and he was telling me that he didn’t have very many friends. When I tried to dispute him, he wouldn’t listen to me. After his funeral, on the way to the cemetery, I looked behind me and saw the long processional and said to him, “See Dad, there are all the friends you thought you didn’t have.”

Dad was 45 when he married my mom. It was his first marriage. He never had any children of his own, but he accepted the three of us boys as his own. It takes a special kind of person to do that. He was that special person.

Next, read the heartwarming story of how a mother and son healed their troubled relationship.

It’s almost summer, so you know we’re getting ready for s’mores weather. We’ve got the pantry stocked with cookies ‘n creme stuffed marshmallows, along with graham crackers and plenty of chocolate. Of course, it’s not a summer BBQ without potato chips, so we’d say with these two in hand, you’re all set for sunny weather.

While we definitely love both of these, we’ve never thought about combining them. But it turns out someone did—and a good thing too, because it results in the perfect sweet n’salty 4-ingredient dessert.

How to Make Ruffles Krispie Treats

This combination makes a decadent snack that gives you all the crunch and sticky sweetness of a Rice Krispies treat with just enough salt to keep it from being overwhelming. This recipe comes to us from TikTok user @sweetafternoon, whose first video became so popular on the video platform, she ended up posting the recipe. It’s super simple to follow.

You’ll need:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package (10 ounces) mini marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups Ruffles potato chips

Note that we estimated the amounts here—but it should be pretty close to the video!

@sweetafternoonRemaking my vid that got 1.8M views. I make this every week🤪 can we get @gordonramsayofficial to react!? #gordonreacts #tiktokfood #myjob #fyp♬ positions – Ariana Grande

Directions

1. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet, then add marshmallows and stir.
3. Add a few drops of vanilla extract.
4. Stir in the Ruffles chips, making sure they’re coated in the marshmallow mixture. (Yum!)
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and let to cool, then cut into squares.

Voila! You’ve got your Ruffles krispie treats, with crunchy chips, soft, gooey marshmallow, and of course, plenty of sweet n’ salty deliciousness.

You Can Make Them Even Better

Of course, you don’t have to stop at the original recipe. Plenty of commenters said they added chocolate, so you could make this recipe with original Stuffed Puffs and get both marshmallow and chocolate in one go! People have also tried making them colorful by using Peeps marshmallows, and the recipe creator even hinted she might try them with BBQ or spicy chips.

Next, check out this collection of sweet and savoury snacks that will satisfy your cravings.

If you’re like me and have discovered that houseplants are invincible, but don’t know where to start with outdoor gardening, this hanging herb garden is a transition between the two that’s trendy and easy.

For a beginner, outdoor gardening can often be intimidating. Last summer, I tried starting with simple window boxes and the plants shriveled up within a week’s time. But this DIY hanging herb garden is perfect for the novice gardener! To get started, you’ll need a shoe organizer, plus some soil, seeds and TLC. Then you’re on your way! (Here are the best annual flowers for containers.)

What is a hanging herb garden?

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a garden you hang up on hooks or a fence. By filling the pockets of a shoe organizer with soil and seeds, you’ve made yourself a vertical garden that you can hang up and show off to your neighbours and friends.

Using a shoe organizer means you have built-in compartments for your herbs. You don’t need to measure the distance between where you plant each group of seeds, and you don’t need to worry about how much space there is in your yard. This trend keeps gardening simple and it’s a great way to enter the world of outdoor gardening.

How to DIY a hanging herb garden

Materials You’ll Need

• Cloth shoe organizer
• Potting soil or compost
• Hooks or nails for hanging
• Herbs or plants of your choice (Learn about the medicinal herbs you can grow in your backyard.)

Directions

This method comes to us from our friends at Birds & Blooms.

Step 1: Choose a location

Decide on a location for your vertical herb garden, somewhere sunny but not too harsh. If you have a fence or space on side of a garage or shed, those could be great spots to put your hanging garden on display. Use nails or screws to attach the shoe organizer where you want to hang it.

Most shoe organizers are lightweight, but once you start packing soil in the pouches and add water and growing plants, things will get heavy quick. So, make sure that whatever method you use to hang your garden is stable. (Find more ideas for things to repurpose instead of throwing away!)

Step 2: Check the drainage on your shoe organizer

Check the drainage of the pouches before planting by pouring in some water. Root rot can happen if water doesn’t drain properly, so it’s important for your plants to have well-draining homes. If the water pools and doesn’t drain, here’s an easy fix! Just poke a few small holes in the bottom of each pouch and you’re good to go.

Step 3: Add the soil and plants or seeds

Fill the pouches with soil or compost, but leave about an inch between the top of the pouch and the soil. Add the herbs, plants or seeds and watch your vertical herb garden grow!

Next, check out these urban gardening tips that are perfect for small spaces.

For centuries, ruling factions and families in India and neighbouring countries used brilliant baubles, like emeralds and rubies, to stake claims to thrones and power. Among the gemstones stood one legendary diamond, the Koh-i-Noor Diamond. This stone, which at one point measured 186 carats, was a prized possession for rulers, but its history tells us these mortals may have placed too much meaning in the jewel’s significance—and paid a precious price.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, which means “Mountain of Light” in Persian, is said to carry a lethal curse. Men who wear it, according to a Hindu legend, “will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes.”

And legitimate or not, there has been some truth to that tale.

For centuries after it was discovered (exactly when is not known), the diamond passed between rulers, often surrounded by bloody turmoil as people fought for power. Its earliest appearance in written record came in 1628 when it was placed at the head of Mughal ruler Shah Jahan’s peacock throne.

Shah Jahan’s son later had him imprisoned in a coup, and the diamond changed hands again.

In 1739, the Iranian ruler Nader Shah invaded the Mughals, killing tens of thousands and taking the Koh-i-Noor and other jewels. He was later assassinated in his sleep by 15 of his own officers and courtiers.

By the 18th century, the diamond was in the possession of the British East India Company and was used in the Treaty of Lahore when 10-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh, the only living heir to his father after all the others had been assassinated, surrendered to the British Empire on behalf of Punjab.

Queen Victoria, who received the stone from the young Maharaja, had heard of its legendary beauty, but somewhat disappointed with its lackluster appearance, she had the diamond recut and polished into the 105-carat stone it is today. (Find out more Queen Victoria facts most people don’t know.)

Whether purposefully heeding the supposed curse or not, the diamond has only been worn by British royal women—first Queen Victoria, then by three queen consorts, Alexandra, Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond sits at the front of the Queen Mother’s crown today, and it was last seen when it was placed on her coffin as it was carried in a funeral procession in 2002. We can’t imagine how much the Koh-i-Noor diamond is worth—can you guess how much the rest of the British crown jewels are worth today?