Anyone that knows me well knows I'm kind of anal when it comes to hygiene. And now that flu season is here I'm even more paranoid. This makes me want to ride the subway station wrapped in a plastic bag and have hand sanitizer on me all day every day. But here's the thing, germs aren't just out on the street. You can have some bacteria-killed areas right in your own home. Take your bathroom for instance. Seriously, how clean is your bathroom really?
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I've never lived with a dirty bathroom. My parents bathroom was always uber clean and the bathroom in my apartment was always spick and span too. I cleaned my floors, I disinfected my toilet and tub, I sprayed Windex on the medicine cabinet mirror regularly, my bathroom was clean–end of story! But here's the thing there's actually a lot of clumsy bathroom mistakes we all make that we're not fully aware that are way grosser than we'd ever think. Luckily, for you I'm here to point them out to you. So you can fix them once and for all! Here are 5 nasty bathroom mistakes you need to stop making!
Reusing your bath towel too many times: I used to wash my towels every other week and until I learned how bacteria-infested they were. Bacteria tends to thrive in damp towels and the problem is, whenever you reuse them you're putting that bacteria right back on you. Try to wash them at least once a week if you can. And don't share a towel with anyone!
Not changing your loofah: Loofahs can have even more bacteria on them than bath towels because they're usually soaked and wet and filled with soap suds. The biggest mistake people make is holding on to their loofahs for way too long. After three or four weeks they should be tossed away–no exceptions!
Not washing your hands enough: You can wash your hands all you want but if you aren't washing them for long enough you might not be making any difference. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), most people don't wash their hands correctly. A study done at Michigan State University showed that 95 percent of people take less than 15 seconds to wash their hands. That doesn't leave you enough time to properly scrub and rinse them out.
Toothbrushes out: After you read this you're going to want to run to your bathroom and throw your toothbrush. Is your toothbrush hanging somewhere by your bathroom sink? Then chances are its infested with germs and bacteria. "Toothbrushes can act as a lightning rod for bacteria, viruses and even what we call fungi or mold and mildew," Dr. Gerry Curatola, founder of Rejuvenation Dentistry and author of the book Smile For Life, Rejuvenation Dentistry and the Art of Wellness told FoxNews.com. "The types of bacteria … can range anywhere from the bacteria in the mouth that cause tooth decay and gum disease, to step bacterial to E. coli." Make sure you keep your toothbrush within 6 feet of your toilet and I recommend you store it in a plastic holder too.
Washing after using the bathroom: My friends are always weirded out to find baby wipes in my bathroom. But honestly, if you're doing number two, toilet paper doesn't quit cut it. You want to keep that bum clean afterwards by washing it either with soap and water or at least with flushable cleansing cloths–at least!
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