The bathroom is typically the place we get fresh and clean and visit frequently throughout the day. But there are certain habits you could be guilty of that could put you at greater risk for illnesses and infectious diseases. Below, eight mistakes you need to correct right away to prevent spreading bacteria onto others.
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1. Straining too much during a bowel movement could lead to painful hemorrhoids. If you find yourself having difficulties pooping, get up and walk around so your intestines and gravity can do some of the work for you. And make sure to increase your fiber and water intake so that things run smoother next time around.
2. Wiping after you use the toilet is probably something you don't think twice about, but how you wipe could play a huge roll–er, I mean role–in preventing your risk for infections. Wiping back to front could cause bacteria from your rectum to travel to your urethra and lead to a urinary tract infection. If you've ever had one of those you'll know they are NOT FUN so wipe from front to back to keep germs from traveling into your bladder.
3. How hard you wipe is something else you should consider during your visit to the stalls. If you're too rough on your wipes or keep grabbing more toilet paper for another pass, you could irritate the skin and develop inflammation down there. If you're not satisfied with just one or two wipes, use a moist towelette to get clean without the extra friction.
4. Hand dryers claim to be better for the environment, and they very well may be, but the consequences of using an air dryer over paper towels is the germs they spread into the air. Researchers have found that jet air dryers spread 27 times more microbes than paper towels and that those germies linger. Ew! So grab a paper towel and then use it to open the bathroom door and hightail it out of there.
5. Speaking of hand-washing, do you know if you're washing them correctly? Most of us tend to wash and dash, but experts say that we should spend at least 20 seconds scrubbing our hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
6. The fresh and tingling sensation you feel when you use a vaginal douche can be wonderful, but it is so unhealthy for your lady bits. Using these products or strong soaps can throw off the pH balance in your vagina and lead to infection and irritation.
7. Take note of where your toothbrush is sitting in your bathroom. If it's within six feet of your toilet, you might want to move it farther to prevent bacteria from landing on it and close the toilet lid when you flush.
8. Bacteria love and breed on damp cloths and that pretty towel you dry yourself with is no exception. Throw yours in the laundry or change it out for a fresh one at least once a week. As for your natural loofah, throw it out after four weeks. Synthetic mesh poofs last a little longer, eight weeks, but be sure to replace it soon after.
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