Spring clean your bathroom to make it Valentine’s Day ready

While it has been considered safer to have a first date in a public area, some singles are still brave enough to cook for Mr or Miss Right in the comfort of their own homes. And for those in the talking stages or looking to make things official, a home-cooked romantic dinner might just be the right thing to seal the deal.

However, bad hygiene could be a deal breaker once your partner-to-be gets a sight of your bathroom, especially with the rise of the norovirus that is commonly caught there.

There's been a 40% increase in norovirius cases — the highly contagious vomiting and diarrhoea bug — compared to previous years. In a list on the dirtiest places in your bathroom and toilet, retailers Showers to You share their top tips for getting them spick-'n-span.

TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE/HOLDER

Frequency: Weekly wash with soap and hot water. Replace the toothbrush bristles every three to four months.

Dr Jordan Brown, a Florida dentist, claims that if your toilet and toothbrush are in the same area, there’s a 99% chance of faecal matter on your toothbrush, due to the faecal particles released into the air when flushing. To keep toothbrushes free of bacteria, consider placing them in a contained cabinet in the bathroom or buying covers.

TOILET SEAT

Frequency: Wipe down weekly.

As it accumulates dust, urine splashes and bacteria, the toilet seat forms more than 200,000 colony-forming units per square inch, including Bacillus, which is often found in soil and can be harmful to humans.

BASIN AND TAPS

Frequency: Wash daily with a sanitising wipe or spray.

Taps are touched before and after washing hands, so germs are transferred frequently. Taps have been found to contain a whopping 6,267 counts of bacteria per square inch, which is even more than the amount found in the basin itself.

BATHROOM SWITCHES

Frequency: Wipe down weekly with disinfectant. 

The bathroom light switch is one of the most highly touched areas, especially in the colder, darker seasons. The area can harbour 217 counts of bacteria per square inch. 

SHOWER HEAD

Frequency: Monthly clean with a vinegar soak or specialised cleaning product.

A shower head can accumulate limescale, mould, and bacteria such as Legionella, especially in damp and warm conditions if not cleaned regularly. Regular cleaning helps prevent the build-up of harmful pathogens, ensuring your shower water is cleaner and healthier. 

Biofilm (a layer of bacterial fungi) can also develop on bathroom shower heads, which can lead to infection of the hair follicles when in contact with skin. This also causes rashes and irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.

The best way to clean your shower head following a vinegar soak is to use a toothbrush with fine bristles to help scrub the nozzles. For bathrooms with detachable shower heads, it is recommended to disassemble them for thorough cleaning.

BATHROOM TOWELS

Frequency: Wash after every three uses in hot water.

Freshly washed towels contain 190,000 counts of bacteria per square inch, increasing to 17 million after just one day of use, and soaring to as high as 94 million after a week. 

A recent Showers to You survey found that almost one in 10 UK residents only wash their bathroom towels twice a year, which can lead to an increased number of bacteria living on used towels in bathrooms.

LOOFAHS/SPONGES

Frequency: Replace monthly or disinfect weekly by soaking in a bleach or disinfectant solution.

Due to trapped moisture and dead skin cells, loofahs become a home for bacterial and mould growth. Infected loofahs can lead to skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are associated with inflammation of hair follicles.

SHOWER FLOOR

Frequency: Clean weekly with disinfectant.

A bathroom floor can harbour 60 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, catching dirt from feet and even stray toilet water droplets. Shower floors are frequently wet and warm, making them an ideal breeding ground for mould and mildew. Regular cleaning prevents the build-up of harmful fungi, which can trigger respiratory problems, allergies, and unpleasant odours.

SHOWER CURTAIN

Frequency: Wash monthly and replace every 6-12 months.

When it comes to plastic or vinyl curtains that play the role of glass barriers, there is a need to have them swapped out every six months, especially if they show signs of mould or stubborn odour.

Shower curtains can accumulate 60 times more bacteria than a toilet seat and it is recommended to change to a glass shower door due to its non-porous surface properties.

TOILET HANDLE

Frequency: Disinfect daily with wipes or spray.

It is important to remember toilet handles during bathroom cleanups to reduce gastrointestinal illness, respiratory infections, and other common diseases caused by pathogens found in bathrooms. The toilet flush is one of the most touched places in the bathroom, so regular cleaning will reduce the risk of germs spreading.