New research has revealed the dire state of the average Britons' personal hygiene.

Nearly one in five British men admit they don't always wash their hands after doing a number two. The same is true for one in 10 women.

Meanwhile, a staggering third of men admit slap-dash handwashing after a pee. One in five women confessed to doing the same. 

Neither sex practises perfect oral hygiene either.

Some 36 per cent of men say they often only brush their teeth once daily, as do 22 per cent of women, according to the poll of 1,000 UK adults.

 Dental experts say brushing teeth at least twice daily is essential for ridding the mouth of harmful bacteria that can go on to cause plaque and gum disease.

Studies also show that regularly washing your hands can reduce the risk of developing respiratory and bacteria infections by over 20 per cent. 

To prevent bugs like E. coli from spreading, public health chiefs advise regular hand washing using soap and water, particularly after using the toilet. 

Not washing your hands can increase the risk to others.  

E. Coli — which can be found in water — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. Its symptoms typically fade naturally within days.

But experts have also long been concerned by shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug.

STEC is considered to be extremely infectious, and in up to 15 per cent of cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.

A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP). 

The study, by cosmetics brand Faith In Nature, also found around one in 10 men only bother cleaning their bathroom once a month. 

The same is true for one in 20 women.

And when it comes to other questionable bathroom confessions, more than a fifth of Brits (21 per cent) confessed to leaving products sitting in the shower long enough for them to become grimy or mouldy.

The poll also revealed bathroom behaviours that may prove infuriating to housemates and partners alike.

For instance, a third of men say they often leave an empty toilet roll on the holder when the paper runs out. 

Around one in five women admit to this irritating habit too.

The research was conducted in a bid to raise awareness surrounding general hygiene and prevent illnesses contracted as a result.