15 Bathroom Habits To Avoid Doing
July 17, 2019
sources: Lifehacker / ABC News
The bathroom is a private room in the home, but today, we’re going to talk about it. Everyone has different bathroom habits, but some of those habits could be unknowingly putting you at risk of getting sick. Here are 15 common yet gross errors that might be happening in your own bathroom, and that need to stop ASAP!
1. Bringing Your Phone In
There are a few places a cellphone does not belong, with one of them being the bathroom. Not only is your phone susceptible to picking up nasty bacteria like fecal matter, but sitting on the toilet while on your phone puts you at risk of getting hemorrhoids.
2. Not Putting The Lid Down
Get in the habit of putting the toilet seat lid down before every single time you flush. When flushing a toilet, water and other bacteria has the ability to spray up to six feet in the air. Enough said.
3. Flushing Face Wipes
You should never flush baby wipes, makeup removing wipes, and the like down the toilet. They aren’t designed to break down, and they can easily clog an entire septic system.
4. Keeping Your Toothbrush Close To The Toilet
It’s all too easy for germs and bacteria found on and around the toilet to make their way on to your toothbrush. Store your toothbrush in a clean, dry spot as far away from the toilet as possible.
5. Not Hanging Your Bath Mat
If you don’t hang up your bath mat after bathing or showering, it never has the chance to fully dry. A perpetually damp bath mat is a breeding ground for bacteria, so ensure you are always hanging it to dry and washing it on a regular basis.
6. Not Rinsing Your Soap
Because bar soap is constantly wet, it can accumulate a ton of bacteria. You should always rinse it with hot water before and after every use, and ensure you’re keeping your bar soap in a clean, dry spot that allows the water to drain off of it.
7. Showering In Scalding Water
There’s nothing like a steaming hot shower, especially during the colder months. However, showering in water that’s too hot strips your skin, hair, and scalp of their natural oils, leading to dryness and irritation.
8. Using Q-Tips
Most of us have grown up believing that Q-Tips are meant for cleaning our ears. However, Q-Tips only push ear wax farther into the ear canal. If you want to get your ears cleaned out, you should pay a visit to your doctor instead.
9. Using Face Cloths
Washing your face with a face cloth is actually doing the opposite of cleaning. Face cloths are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria due to the moisture that lives there. To properly clean your face, use your hands to apply a face cleanser before splashing your face with water to rinse.
10. Forgetting To Moisturize
In the cold, dry months, it’s extremely important to apply moisturizer to your skin, especially after showering. Not moisturizing leads to dry, itchy, flaky, and overall irritated skin.
11. Holding On To Your Toothbrush
Most of us probably don’t think much about replacing toothbrushes, but you should really be getting a new toothbrush about every three months and after every single time you get sick.
12. Not Replacing Razors
The same goes for your disposable razors. Shaving with old, dull razors can lead to nicks, cuts, and infections. You should replace your disposable razors after anywhere from five to 10 shaves.
13. Not Washing Your Towels
You probably think that because you’re drying yourself off with towels after showering, they’re clean and don’t need to be washed all that often. However, to ensure towels aren’t holding on to bacteria, they should be cleaned after every three uses.
14. Not Cleaning Surfaces Properly
Yes, it’s important to clean toilets and bathroom floors. However, how often do you clean the other surfaces in your bathroom such as counters, mirrors, and light switches? These areas should be cleaned with a disinfectant at least once a week.
15. Not Washing Your Hands
I wish this went without saying, but so many people don’t wash their hands properly after visiting the bathroom. You should always wash your hands with warm, soapy water and in a thorough manner before exiting the bathroom.