3 bathroom items harbouring the most ‘bacteria’ in your home

Mar 16, 2024

Bathrooms are the perfect environment for germs and bacteria to thrive as well as mould and mildew. This means as well as cleaning the sink, toilet and shower, it is also important to clean accessories.

Deyan Dimitrov, CEO of Laundryheap, explained: “Bath mats are designed to absorb a lot of water, but it’s important to wash them regularly to maintain appropriate hygiene standards.

“Ideally, your bath mat should be washed weekly - most mats can be washed by professional cleaning services, or in your washing machine.

“Make sure to double check their label’s washing requirements before doing so.

“For bath mats with rubber backings, try to avoid the washing machine. To prevent bacteria build-up without damaging the rubber, it’s best to spray them with white vinegar weekly, and to wash them in cold water every three to four weeks.”

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The laundry expert also advised Britons to replace their bathmats every two years if possible in order to keep them fresh and clean.

Having a good rotation of bath mats may also be helpful, to allow each one to properly dry after being washed before being returned to the bathroom.

Shower curtains are becoming less popular, but for those who do have them, they can hold a lot of moisture, which will turn into mould if not cleaned regularly.

To avoid this, Deyan recommended leaving the shower curtain open after using it to reduce mould and mildew.

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Deyan added: “Your shower curtain liner should be cleaned every month. The best way to do this, without damaging its materials, is to pop it in the washing machine on a gentle wash.

“I would recommend adding a bath towel into the wash with it, as it will help to scrub the shower liner. Alternatively, if your shower curtain liner isn’t machine washable, add a few drops of bleach to a dampened cloth or sponge and scrub before rinsing thoroughly.”

Toilet brushes are one of the dirtiest items found within a home, and are often forgotten about when it comes to cleaning.

The laundry expert recommended filling the brush container with hot soapy water every single week along with a small drop of bleach.

Swirl the brush around in the water before letting it soak for 10 minutes and emptying the water down the toilet.

The pro noted: “Then, flush clean water over the brush, and spray both the container and brush with a disinfectant spray.

“If you have time, let the brush air dry before placing it back in the container, by balancing it across the toilet seat and letting it drip into the toilet bowl for ten minutes.

“If the brush bristles ever become discoloured or bent out of shape, it’s time to replace it.”