For some people, the inviting look of a hand railing on the way up a staircase is intoxicating, almost irresistible. The extra support and grip provided by a railing make for an easy transition from the first to second floor, or the vice-versa. Once hand meets railing, there is an instantaneous transfer of bacteria, germs and microbes. Junior Toyosi Akinlade was never really scared of the railings: “You are always told that germs are everywhere, but I never really think about it when I use the railing.”

Upon the sight of the bacteria-covered petri dish, Akinlade was visibly disgusted: “I always knew there were a lot of germs in the stairwell, but actually seeing it is surprising. It made me not want to use the railings anymore.”