From your shower curtain to the toilet bowl, here’s how often to clean common bathroom items.
1. Shower Curtain and Liner
You come face-to-face with your shower curtain and liner nearly every day and likely don’t give it much thought. But it’s important to keep these bathroom items clean for the sake of your health.
One of the biggest health concerns when it comes to your shower curtain and liner is mold, Dr. Studer says. She advises changing your shower curtain every six months, or sooner if it becomes moldy or visibly dirty to a point where it can’t be cleaned.
In between changes, Schmidt advises wiping down your shower curtain and liner regularly with a disinfectant. “Clean it more often if you routinely are bouncing water off the curtain and it lands on you,” he says. “Odor and your eyes can be your guide. If it looks dirty or smells funky, you have likely waited too long.”
2. Bathroom Towels
“A different towel is recommended to use on your buttock area because of the varying bacteria that naturally reside near there,” she says. “You do not want to spread anal bacteria to other parts of your body, especially for women.”
Accidentally transferring this bacteria to the vaginal area can cause urinary tract infections and other infections, Studer notes.
3. Toilet
“Toilets are some of the filthiest spots in the bathroom, obviously, because that is where poo and pee go down,” Banjoko says. “Seats should be disinfected daily or weekly, depending on the number and frequency of use.”
And if anyone in your household is experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, or a cold or flu, it’s crucial to disinfect more frequently to prevent the spread of infection, Banjoko says.
When it comes to how often you should replace your toilet brush, there’s no hard and fast rule, but Studer advises tossing yours and getting a new one if the bristles start to wear down or get discolored.
4. Shower
How often you clean your shower or bathtub will depend on your family size and how often it’s used.
“With some households, weekly or even monthly cleaning may suffice, especially if you have adults only and no kids who could mess up the tub,” Banjoko says. “Ideally, planning for weekly or biweekly cleaning or disinfecting is advised.”
Other households may need to do daily cleaning if the frequency of use of the bathroom or bathtub warrants it, she notes.
5. Sink and Other Surfaces
Like the shower or toilet, your bathroom sink and other surfaces can harbor illness-causing germs.
“If someone is displaying any sort of symptoms of an illness, rule of thumb is to clean those surfaces often, especially if they are vomiting or display symptoms of diarrhea,” Schmidt says.
“When it’s not cold or flu season you can consider scrubbing surfaces at least once a week to be an important safety measure, and of course if you notice that the surfaces are soiled,” he adds.
6. Bath Mats and Rugs
Studer recommends cleaning your bathroom rugs at least monthly, though weekly is ideal. If you clean them regularly, replacing them can be at your discretion, she says. Though if they show signs of wear and tear or are falling apart, it’s probably time to toss them.
Scrub and disinfect any anti-slip shower mats anytime you clean your bathtub.
“Dry skin or cracks in the skin can allow any number of dermatophytes (fungi that infect the skin) to attach themselves to your foot,” Schmidt says.
An important way to prevent athlete’s foot is to keep surfaces you step on barefoot, including bathroom rugs and mats, sanitized. Also make sure your feet are completely dry before you put on socks, as moisture aids the production of fungi, Schmidt notes.
7. Doorknobs and Light Switches
Doorknobs and light switches are high-touch areas, making them fomites, or objects that can serve as an intermediary stopover for infectious germs.
“I recommend a daily wipe down of sink faucets, doorknobs, and light switches,” Studer says. “This can easily be accomplished with a premoistened disinfectant wipe.”
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