9 Easy Ways To Have A More Hygienic Bathroom

Though hand towels might seem fairly unsuspecting in the realm of bathroom hygiene, the truth is they're one of the things that multiple hands touch consistently. And those hands aren't always clean. According to The Huffington Post, because bath towels are extra thick, they lock in moisture and breed germs more quickly. In the article, laundry expert Mary Marlowe Leverette recommending washing your hand towels (and all bath towels) with vinegar in place of fabric softener. If you've ever left a load of laundry in the washer for too long, you know that vinegar is the cure for getting rid of that mildew and musty odor. Leverette recommended replacing your towels after about three uses.

Rather than just tossing your toothbrush in with the rest of your daily tools or, worse yet, in the medicine cabinet, the American Dental Association recommended you store your toothbrush in an upright position, in a separate place from everything else.The association noted that storing them in closed containers makes them more apt to breed bacteria.

You can use vinegar for cleaning more than just your bathroom towels. In fact, according to Better Homes and Gardens, vinegar is one of the most powerful tools to combat bacteria. You can utilize white vinegar to clean your toilet, your bathtub, your shower, your shower head, your bathroom tile, and more. Added bonus? You won't have to worry about being trapped in your bathroom with all of those chemicals when you use vinegar.

You know you should replace your hand towels more often than you do — but what about the towel you use after your shower? Dr. Marisa Weiss told BreastCancer.org that using a fresh towel each time you get out of the shower is the best way to keep things clean. Bacteria can cling to towels, in the damp and thick environment that they provide, which can potentially put you at risk for an infection.

In horrifying news, when you flush your toilet, germs and fecal mater fly everywhere. To avoid getting those germs and fecal matter all over your bathroom, shut the toilet lid before you flush. According to Good Housekeeping, Scrubbing Bubbles reported that 60 percent of people surveyed tend to skip shutting the lid. Start training your family to close the lid, and your bathroom will be so much better off.

Good Housekeeping also recommended keeping your makeup brushes tucked away, especially considering how many people don't close that toilet lid before they flush and just how far that flush-spray can go. Storing your makeup and brushes in the bathroom can make them more susceptible to bacteria growth, too. So keep your beauty supplies and brushes out of the line of germs and designate a special drawer just for them.

I'm honestly horrified when I think about how long I've had my current loofah for. Especially when I found out that dermatologist Dr. Melissa Piliang at the Cleveland Clinic recommended replacing your natural loofah every three to four weeks, and your plastic loofah every two months. Time to toss that loofah.

Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology at University of Arizona, told Buzzfeed that "the average person uses their cell phone for two hours a day, so it’s very easy to recontaminate your hands and transmit the germs to yourself or someone else." A study at the University found that nine out of ten phones carried potential disease-causing microbes, and 16 percent of cell phones tested positive for fecal matter. Leave your phone out of the bathroom.

I have to be honest with you, I've always been a big fan of the towel hook over the towel bar. But after hearing this news from Good Housekeeping, I might have to change my tune. Apparently, hanging your towels on hooks helps moisture stay trapped between the folds of your towel, which can lead to mildew and bacteria growth. Spreading your towel out to dry on a towel bar might take a smidge more of your time, but it'll prevent that bacteria growth in a big way.