How To Maintain A Hygienic Bathroom

An Introduction To Bathroom Maintenance

Your bathroom can easily be your biggest source of germs and by extension ill health if you are not careful. This is because there are several direct connections to the sewers, where many germs live and because the nature of the bathroom includes the stripping of filth from your form, so if not done correctly, this filth could end up in areas less than desirable.

So, how can we design a bathroom that promotes hygiene? To further that, how can we then maintain this bathroom’s and by proxy, our own hygiene?

Well, read this article to find out!

What To Do When Building The Bathroom

If you’re going to do it right, it’s best to have hygiene in mind from the very conception of the bathroom. Here are some steps during the design and installation process you can take to improve the hygiene of your bathroom.

Install Bottle Traps and P Traps

The first and arguably most important step is to make sure you install high quality traps. Traps are the part of a plumbed fixture that prevent any smells, germs or liquid escaping the refuse pipes and entering your home.

Our toilets come equipped with enlarged P-Traps which ensure an easier flush, making for a better and more hygienic toilet experience.

For basins, we recommend installing bottle traps when possible, although it is important to keep in mind that not all basins are compatible with bottle traps. Bottle traps are unique because they are easily accessible from outside of the typical plumbing system, this means you can quickly and easily address any issues as they arise, whereas with other traps you would need to call a professional.

Furthermore, bottle traps can be used to catch items and refuse, ensuring that your basin pipes do not clog, which prevents build up, germs and a lot more. It also means if you ever drop your wedding ring down the sink, you can easily get it back.

Install Ventilation

The second most important step is securing ventilation. The bathroom is easily the most naturally humid area in the home, and unfortunately humidity is where mould, disease and germs thrive. The most effective way to tackle humidity is to ensure quality ventilation.

There are two main ways you can do this, the first being through the installation of an extractor fan which swaps the air inside for the air outside, reducing the humidity.  The second way is through opening your windows to let the humid air naturally escape and the fresh air enter.

We recommend having your windows open as you shower to prevent steam and humidity build up. At the very lease you should have them open post shower, so it is worth investing in night locks if you don’t feel comfortable having the window fully open.

Decorate With Plants

Another great way to tackle humidity is through the use of plants. Lots of plants thrive in humid conditions and will absorb this is in exchange for fresh oxygen. Just make sure you don’t use any plants that could be toxic to your pets. The use of plants coupled with open windows and an extractor fan should cut down your room’s humidity exponentially and in turn drastically reduce the chances of mould developing.

Install A Frameless Shower Enclosure

Another way to prevent mould growing is to reduce the area it can spawn on. Frameless shower enclosures are fantastic for this as they feature no large metal frame which can collect grime build up and cause mould. A frameless shower enclosure is the perfect fixture for passively improving the overall hygiene level of the bathroom.

Install Touchless Fixtures

Something else you can install to cut down germ spread is touchless fixtures, such as touchless taps that are sensor activated. Because you never have to touch them, the likelihood of germs spreading to them is vastly reduced. 

Install A Bidet

Now, an easy way to improve your hygiene is to install a bidet. Because a bidet washes you, whereas toilet paper simply scrapes, a bidet is much more hygienic. This means you will be much cleaner after using the bathroom which is always a noble goal.

What To Do When Using The Bathroom

Now, you’ve built your bathroom, but the conscious effort to encourage hygiene doesn’t stop there. Here are several steps you can take while you use the bathroom to increase the hygiene level.

Close The Toilet Lid When You Flush

This is such an easy one, yet its impact is massive. If you close the lid of the toilet before you flush it, you prevent a lot of germs spread as none of the germs from the flushing toilet are successfully thrown into the air. This drastically cuts down germ spread and can help keep you and your bathroom happier and healthier.

Wash Your Hands

Hopefully, we don’t have to convince you of this one. Washing your hands after using the bathroom, no matter what you use it for, is extremely important. Your hands are your main tool of interface between you and most of reality, so keeping them clean keeps your germ spread down.

Use A Toilet Stool

This is a little bonus idea that can improve gut health rather than environmental hygiene. A toilet stool sits at the bottom of your toilet and is used as a foot rest while you sit on the toilet. This raises your legs up into a squatting position which makes the toilet easier to use. This can help you avoid any strain or nasty gut problems, making it a simple way to improve your general hygiene.

Open Windows After Shower

Now, the final step for ensuring mould can’t foster and thrive is quite a simple, as we referenced earlier you need to keep your windows open either during or after the shower. This will allow the hot air and steam to escape the bathroom and for fresh air to enter it, eliminating the chance for the steam and humidity to cause residue and mould build up.

What To Do When Maintaining The Bathroom

So, you understand what to do when designing the bathroom and now what to do when using the bathroom. But what do you do after you have used the bathroom? How do you maintain it? Let’s find out!

Wipe Off Condensation

First up, you should make sure to wipe off any condensation you find in the bathroom. This is because if it lingers it can course mould build up. It should be fairly quick to take a cloth or some toilet paper and wipe the condensation off any fixtures you see and it will go a long way to prevent issues in the future.

Keep The Floor Dry

In a similar sense, you want to make sure you’re not leaving the floor wet. This will not only cause a slipping hazard, but can once again lead to germ spread and mould growth. To avoid this, employ waterproof, washable mats that you can walk on after getting out of the shower. These will protect the floor and then can be washed themselves every so often to ensure they don’t have any buildup of their own.

Anti-Bacterial Wipes

Using anti-bacterial surface wipes is a quick and easy way to defeat germs and keep your bathroom looking spic and span. These wipes are very simple to use and will help keep germs from spreading over your room, which is imperative in a bathroom. Having a pack of these handy near your bathroom is a must.

Let Things Soak

When you do clean fixtures, like the toilet, don’t forget to let the cleaner soak in. If you’re in too much of a rush, the cleaning won’t be effective. Remember to take your time and let cleaning liquids soak onto fixtures before cleaning them off.

Clear Out Traps & Drains

You should regularly check your traps and drains for buildup and clogs. An overdeveloped clog could damage the drain and lead to a host of problems, especially as your traps are your main line of defense against the sewers.

Furthermore, build up could cause germs to spread from your drains which would negatively effect everyone’s health.

Make sure you get easy to access traps like the bottle trap and ensure you check all of your traps and drains regularly.

Dust

Finally, we have an easy one but one that is often forgotten, dusting! Dust is innately the collection of a lot of things, dirt, dead skin, dead hair and more. The build up of dust is quick and consistent, it can cause allergic reactions and negatively affect your mood, sleep and cleanliness. People often forget to dust their bathroom because they’re too focused on all the other methods of cleaning, but it is extremely important to ensure you regularly dust as the negative effects of dust will sneak up on you.

Final Thoughts

Hygiene is very important, especially in the bathroom, so make sure you take the necessary steps to keep your bathroom and yourself in good health.