Time for a change? How often you should be swapping out bathroom items

Bathrooms are a breeding ground for germs and using the same items for years on end could be detrimental to your health, experts have revealed, with advice to swap out your towels, toothbrushes and more for new products more often than you might think.

The dampness in the air can cause mass growth of bacteria in the small room and according to company Bed Threads, as well as keeping it dry and clean, you should be purchasing new items on a regular basis.

In a blog shared on the website, the popular company shared tips on how long you should be using certain items for – and it may come as a shock.

Towels can be one of the more expensive items in the bathroom, so you’ll be happy to know that they don’t need to be changed as regularly as other things in your home. According to Bed Threads, you’ll be safe using the same towel for one to three years, depending on how often you wash it and how well it absorbs water.

If it’s starting to smell then that’s a clear sign it needs to be chucked in the bin. The same can be said for bath mats and hand towels.

But, when it comes to toothbrushes you’ll need to head to the shops more often, with advice to change them every three to six months. It needs to be dried thoroughly after every use to prevent bacteria from forming, so if you notice when you go to use it the next them it’s still damp, then that’s a worry.

Perhaps surprisingly, your shower curtain should also be updated on the regular. There’s a very high risk of mould growing so you should get a new one once every three to six months. Or better yet do away with the shower curtain all together if possible!

And lastly, don’t forget the toilet brush. According to Bed Threads it should be replaced every six to 12 months – which certainly may be a surprise for some! But, if someone has been sick then that’s a hint to replace it as well.

The latest advice comes after experts warned against placing your toothbrush anywhere near your toilet. Paul Mangold, hygiene expert with leading Australian firm Fantastic Services, revealed the prevalence of “poo particles” on toothbrushes left too close to the loo and how it’s making many people seriously ill.

The expert warned that flushing the loo without closing the lid could lead to a potential risk of severe gastrointestinal illness, claiming the “deadly bugs” can effectively fling up out of the toilet and onto the toothbrush.

“Every time you flush your toilet, poo particles are flung into the air,” he explained. “These bio-aerosols can be extremely harmful and the airborne water droplets are often contaminated with viruses and bacteria.

“And if you keep your toothbrush near your toilet, these potentially deadly bugs can land on the bristles before you put them straight into your mouth, twice a day.”