The filthy part of your bathroom you're definitely not cleaning enough
By Rachael Gavin|
T?he vanity, toilet and shower all get top priority in most weekly bathroom cleaning routines but there is one item that tends to get overlooked despite how filthy it gets.?
That bathroom accessory is the bath mat, which gets placed down and then trampled over so much it seems like part of the floor.
According to FreshSpace Cleaning?'s chief operating officer Will Cotter, bath mats should, at the very least, be washed weekly and more often if they look visibly dirty.
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To make washing and changing over to a fresh mat easier, he advises having more than one mat in your linen cupboard so you can use a new one while the other is waiting to be washed.
?"Not cleaning bath mats can make them a breeding ground for bacteria," Cotter told The U.S. Sun.
"All that moisture can create the perfect environment for bacteria to grow, and that's not good news for anyone, especially if you have a weakened immune system or any open wounds."
He also warned damp, dirty bath mats could also cause mould and mildew.
Cotter said this is a cause for concern for family members with allergies, respiratory conditions and sensitive skin.
If that's not enough to convince you bath mats need cleaning more often than you think, maybe this comment will.
"Then, there's also athlete's foot and toenail fungus. Plus, it can make your bathroom smell really bad," he added.
You'll know a bath mat needs cleaning if you spot dirt and stains, smells bad or feels "stiff or crunchy".
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Bath mats will also need changing to a fresh, clean mat if they feel wet.
Cleaning bath mats is easy because all you need to do is pop them in the washing machine, just like you would with towels.
You can also help keep them clean in between washing by picking them up and shaking them out, and hanging them up over the side of the bath in between uses.
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?If all that sounds like too much work or you're now thoroughly grossed out, you can try a wooden bath mat instead.
"?It's probably a safer option because it just dries out much more readily, quickly," Dr Mona Gohara, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, told The New York Times.
It will still need cleaning though, but just requires a wipe down with a water and vinegar solution.
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