3 Unsuspecting Places That Are 50X Dirtier than Your Toilet Seat

If you had to guess the dirtiest place in your bathroom, you’d probably pick the toilet and we’d be right there with you. But it turns out, we’d both be wrong. Researchers found three places with over 50X the bacteria found on your toilet seat, and they probably aren’t any of the places you’d suspect. So today, we’re lifting the curtain (that’s a hint) on the three dirtiest places in your bathroom to help you keep your family safe and healthy.

Shower Curtain: According to a study performed by SafeHome, the absolute dirtiest place in your bathroom, is your shower curtain. With over 16 million CFU (Colony-Forming Units), it’s 69X dirtier than your toilet seat. Although those numbers are shocking, it’s actually pretty easy to understand how our shower curtains become infested with bacteria. Not only do they hang in the wettest area of the bathroom, but since they’re made of fabric, they also take much longer to dry than hard surfaces. Add onto that the fact that most people don’t clean their shower curtains as often as the rest of their bathrooms, and we have a perfectly moist environment for bacteria to thrive.

To reduce the bacteria on your shower curtain, it’s important to wash it at least once a month. Since most shower curtains are machine washable, you can simply pop them in the wash with some towels to help scrub off any built-up mildew. And don’t forget to wash your liner too! Once everything is nice and clean, keep it as dry as possible by using your exhaust fan, opening up windows (weather permitting), and pulling your shower curtain all the way across after each use to reduce drying time.

Shower Floor: With over 15 million CFU (over 67X more than toilet seats), your shower floor is the second dirtiest area in your bathroom. Although the constant moisture in your shower is partly to blame for the bacteria growth, some of your shower habits may be making it even germier. Namely, shaving and urinating. Pretty gross, right? The bacteria from these two activities mixes in with the soapy residue and doesn’t completely rinse off the floor as we shower. That residue then feeds off the excess moisture and continues to flourish until we get around to cleaning it.

Startled by this information, we rushed to our showers to scrub out all that nastiness. But before you do the same, remember that harsh chemicals don’t always provide the deepest clean. Even the strongest bleach bathroom spray doesn’t actually kill mold spores, but vinegar does. So, we whipped out this easy DIY recipe of vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap. Just remember to leave the lid off until the baking soda and vinegar have had time to calm down. Once they have, pop on that lid and spray the entire shower, paying extra attention to any nooks and crannies on your shower floor. Let the mixture sit while the vinegar kills off all those harmful bacteria. Then, after about 10 minutes, use a textured sponge or brush to give everything a thorough scrub before rinsing it all off. Once all those germs have disappeared down the drain, allow your shower to dry for the remainder of the day. Don’t forget to pop a reminder in your calendar to repeat this process at least once a week to ensure you and your family aren’t unknowingly bathing in harmful bacteria.

Toothbrush Handle: Now the third dirtiest place in the bathroom is quite disturbingly, your toothbrush handle. With over 12.6 million CFU, it’s about 54X dirtier than a toilet seat, ick! Although some bathroom-related germs make their way onto our brushes, most of the germs on the handle come directly from our hands. As gross as this one may be, it’s pretty easy to wipe down your toothbrush handle with an antibacterial wipe or soak it in some vinegar. Just remember to wash your hands before brushing from now on to ensure you’re not adding to the problem.

Even if you’re someone who isn’t bothered by germs, the bacteria in these areas can really make your family sick. So, grab your vinegar and get scrubbing!