It may be rude to look into a woman’s handbag - but if recent research is anything to go by you probably don’t want to anyway.

It appears that next to the purse, underneath the sunglasses and beside the hand sanitiser lies a multitude of hygiene sins.

E.coli, nasty stomach bugs and even particles of poo have been found in the handbags of thousands of UK women. 1 in 3 admit to NEVER cleaning their handbag, while 20% said they would happily chew a loose piece of gum found at the bottom of their holdall. Many also admitted to carrying shoes, dirty pants and snotty tissues amongst their everyday items.

The research by Mentos Pure Fresh Gum is designed to make people think twice about their handbag habits.

Claire Powley, from Mentos, said ‘Our research results are extremely shocking, particularly as so many of us wouldn’t think twice about eating loose gum found in the bottom of our bag, completely unaware of the harmful bacteria we are putting into our mouths.’

Although it’s pretty clear that a once upon a time deep clean wouldn’t go a miss making sure you maintain regular hand hygiene will also keep your handbag and its contents cleaner and healthier. We carry millions of germs on our hands, and although most are harmless, some cause colds, flu, skin infections, diarrhoea and sickness. Without good hand hygiene these harmful germs are passed onto everything (and everyone) we touch – including everything in your handbag. These germs will then thrive in the warm and sweaty nether regions of a bag, making every dip in and out a potential health disaster.

Water and soap aren’t always available so the best way to fight back against your handbag of horrors is with a good quality hand sanitiser. Alcohol based products will kill a certain amount of germs but aren’t effective against nasties such as Norovirus, the UK’s most common stomach bug. The harsh chemicals and toxics found in alcoholic sanitisers also dry and crack the skin, leaving hands sore and more susceptible to germs.

EcoHydra’s Instant Foam Hand Sanitiser is 99.9999% effective against common bacteria (including Norovirus) and contains added Aloe Vera to moisturize the skin. The alcohol free formula is safe and suitable for everyone and can be used repeatedly throughout the day without affecting the skin’s natural pH level. Carrying a travel sized bottle (either 50ml or 100ml) of EcoHydra in your handbag will ensure both your hands and your handbag will stay fresh and clean!

(But please – however clean your handbag, resist the temptation of that loose piece of gum…)