Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
TikTok User Conducts Surface Swab Tests on Airplane to Reveal Cleanliness Levels
Employing his chemistry expertise, one individual has gained prominence on TikTok by documenting surface swab tests across various settings to assess their hygienic condition. These surface swab tests are crucial in identifying contaminants like bacteria, mold, and proteins, thereby evaluating the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection protocols. His online experiments provide insight into airplane cleanliness and public hygiene standards.
In a recent TikTok video, Alex English, known online as ‘howdirtyis’, was recorded embarking on a commercial flight. Upon settling into his assigned seat, which appeared visually clean, he proceeded to utilize pre-prepared swab kits to initiate his cleanliness assessment.
He demonstrated the execution of four distinct tests targeting different areas within the aircraft cabin. Beginning with the outer armrest of the aisle seat, he meticulously swabbed all accessible crevices before securely placing the swab into its designated test tube.
Subsequently, Alex directed his attention to the seat tray. With gloved hands, he carefully manipulated the tray mechanism and swabbed the entire surface, thereafter sealing the sample within another test tube.
He replicated this procedure on the window shade, extending it fully to ensure comprehensive swabbing, before proceeding to his fourth test location: the in-flight safety manual. He opened the booklet and swabbed an interior page.

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The video then transitioned to show the flight’s takeoff and subsequent arrival at the destination. Later, in a laboratory setting, Alex transferred the collected swabs onto labeled petri dishes. These dishes were then incubated to cultivate any bacteria present, allowing for a visual representation of bacterial presence derived from each swabbed surface.
Test Results Unveiled: Bacteria Levels on Airplane Surfaces
In a follow-up clip displaying the four petri dishes, Alex presented the outcomes of his experiment individually. A greater visual presence on the petri dish indicated a higher concentration of bacteria detected from the respective swab.
Starting with the armrest sample, Alex opened the petri dish, revealing a substantial area covered by a whitish bacterial culture.
Armrest Bacteria Level
“I suggest a longsleeved shirt,” he commented, reflecting on the armrest test findings.
Window Shade Bacteria Level
Moving to the window shade sample, an even denser bacterial growth was evident on the petri dish, prompting Alex to comment: “I imagine the window is pretty bad too.”
Tray Table Bacteria Level
The tray table, commonly used for meals and personal items, exhibited bacterial contamination comparable to the previous two tests, with the petri dish showing extensive white bacterial colonies, confirming a considerable bacterial load from the swab.
“Those peanuts look even tastier now,” he quipped, sharing the tray table test results.
Safety Manual Bacteria Level: The Most Contaminated Surface
However, the safety manual yielded the most alarming results. This sample displayed the highest bacterial concentration, completely obscuring the original swabbing pattern visible in the other tests.
Conclusion
“Absolutely coated,” Alex remarked, summarizing the safety manual’s test results, highlighting it as the most contaminated surface among those tested on the airplane.