Scientists identified more than 600 viruses in samples taken from bathrooms in the United States. The viruses infect bacteria — not people — and scientists say they may provide more benefits than causes for concern.

The warm, damp environments of your showerhead and toothbrush are the perfect breeding ground for microbes, and a new study has identified hundreds of viruses that live there, showing the vast biodiversity to be found in the average home.

No one showerhead or toothbrush bristle is the same, with US researchers finding a rich, diverse world of viruses living in biofilms coating surfaces in bathrooms across the US and Europe.