You probably stock up on many bathroom essentials regularly, but some other items you buy once and then forget. However, we perhaps ought to think a lot more about some of the bathroom items that might need replacing more frequently. After all, bathrooms can be dirty and unhygienic places, with mold and mildew never far away. If we aren’t careful, bacteria can build up and make us ill.
With your bathroom full of dead skin cells and hair strands, there are some seriously gross things hanging around in there. With that in mind, we look at four items for the bathroom that you should replace right now.
Trade-In Your Loofah
If you have a loofah in your bathroom, it’s probably your go-to when you want to exfoliate. Highly effective at removing those old and dead skin cells, they’re also great for giving yourself a mini-massage every morning in the shower. However, it’s all too easy to forget all those skin cells are still hanging around there in the loofah’s mesh netting. Now, pair that with the moist, warm conditions in your bathroom, and you can see why bacteria can be such a severe problem. Mold can quickly grow on your loofah, so if it’s been more than three weeks since you bought a new one, it’s time to throw yours in the trash and go shopping!
Switch Your Wash Cloths
When you’re washing your face every morning and evening, you’re probably using a washcloth. While they’re a great way to get rid of all the grime and makeup residue, they also gather bacteria from your skin. Then, of course, it’s important to remember that they don’t dry quickly either. So, your washcloth is sitting there on your sink, naturally growing mold. Yes, it’s pretty gross! It would help if you had several washcloths in your bathroom cabinet so that you can switch them every day and throw the used one in the wash ready to be cleaned.
Get A New Toothbrush
The toothbrush is a common item that we all buy but then forget about replacing. Toothbrushes don’t last for life! Dentists recommend that you replace yours at least every three months. That’s because its bristles will wear over time, and so they won’t clean the surface of your teeth properly. Also, your brush inevitably gets covered in food from your mouth, and if it isn’t washed off the brush properly, it could result in bacteria growth.
Another problem is that our toothbrushes are exposed to lots of other gross things in the bathroom. For example, if you don’t shut your toilet seat every time you flush, you could end up with fecal matter on your toothbrush, which then goes into your mouth. It’s easy to see how easy it is to get ill just from brushing your teeth! With that in mind, go upstairs right now, consider buying a new toothbrush, and put your old toothbrush in the bin! If you have an electric toothbrush, you don’t need to replace the whole thing. You can buy replacement heads, which you can switch out every three months.
Trash Your Makeup Sponges
You probably throw out your kitchen sponges regularly, but how often do you trash your makeup sponges? Too many of us have makeup applicators in our bathroom cabinets, which have been sitting there for years. However, makeup sponges are just as prone to bacteria growth as kitchen sponges, and who wants to spread bacteria all over their face? With that in mind, wash out your makeup applicator after each use by saturating it thoroughly with warm water and then squeezing as much color out of them as possible. Next, use a mild cleaner to massage it until you can see no more color running off. Rinse it thoroughly and allow it to dry before use. If you follow this regime, you’ll only have to replace your applicators every six months. If you don’t want to go through this nonsense every day, however, you should return yours every couple of weeks to avoid spreading bacteria and making yourself unwell.
