Readers Digest UK - December 2021

HEALTH

44 • DECEMBER 2021

Don’t forget to look up While your air

vent or extractor will remove dust and

mould, it will harbour them too. So

clean it at least once a year. Turn off

the power supply, remove the cover

and sponge with soapy water.

Meanwhile, a University of

Manchester study found that shower

heads contained bacteria and fungus

capable of triggering a range of

illnesses from Legionnaire’s disease

to eye infections to digestive

complaints. Eek! Ideally, disinfect it

every three months.

Clean the cleaning implements

We often completely ignore the loo

brush when it comes to our bathroom

cleaning routine. Clean it weekly by

soaking it in hot soapy water with a

few drops of bleach for several

minutes and then rinsing it. Disinfect

the holder too.

Wash that toothbrush It stands to

reason that your toilet brush is going

to be covered in nasties, but have

you ever considered your

toothbrush? Research presented

to the 2015 American Society for

Microbiology meeting found that

toothbrushes in communal

bathrooms were contaminated

with faecal matter! As well as

rinsing your toothbrush after each

use and storing it upright, soak it

in an antibacterial mouthwash

once a week. Replace after

three months. Q

Sanitise those handles Beyond your

usual weekly cleaning regime—loo,

shower, bath, washbasin—also

disinfect door handles, flush, and

light switches or pulls, and wipe down

all surfaces. This will help you keep all

kinds of bugs at bay.

Change towels regularly Wash

towels after every three uses, and

after every use if you have eczema

or after a workout. Use them for

too long and you’ll find yourself

smearing dirt and germs all over

your clean body! To ward off

bacteria, always hang up your towel

and let it dry out thoroughly.

Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate

Bathrooms are warm and damp—the

perfect environment for a build-up

of mould. This in turn can aggravate

conditions such as asthma and

allergic rhinitis. So make sure you

use the extractor fan or open the

window for as long and as wide as

possible. Preferably do both.

As much as the bathroom

is where you get clean, it

can also be pretty unhygienic

How To Keep

Yo u r B a t h r o o m

Bug-Free