The average American bathroom has over 600 viruses, most of which are never-before-seen.
In a recently published study, researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois, collected samples from 34 toothbrushes and 92 showerheads from bathrooms across the U.S. The samples revealed a total of 614 "extremely diverse" viruses, some have not been discovered until now.
"The number of viruses that we found is absolutely wild," Erica Hartmann, an associate professor at Northwestern University and the study lead, said in a statement.
"We also saw very little overlap between any two samples at all. Each showerhead and each toothbrush is like its own little island. It just underscores the incredible diversity of viruses out there."
Despite the biodiversity found in homes, these microorganisms are not necessarily bad for humans. In fact, some could benefit homeowners.
These bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that only infect and replicate bacteria and cannot contaminate human cells, the National Library of Medicine explained.
Most of the phages found in the bathroom items are mycobacteriophages which infect mycobacteria -- rapidly growing pathogens that cause diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis.
The researchers believe that the hundreds of viruses found in the toothbrush and showerhead samples could help in the development of treatments for diseases in the future.
Hartmann added that humans should avoid quickly grabbing bleach and chemical cleaners to disinfect their bathrooms.
"The more you attack them with disinfectants, the more they are likely to develop resistance or become more difficult to treat. We should all just embrace them," she pointed out.
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