5 Bathroom Health Hazards You Should Watch Out For 

 Bathroom hazards come in two forms: dangerous germs and bathroom habits. 

Both categories are unhealthy, and if you want better health, you should learn about the top five risks to prevent them. 

Kindly read on to know more.

1. Risks of Falls and Slips

Unfortunately, everyone is at risk of falling and slipping, not just the elderly. For example, wet bathroom tiles are slippery; so you should be cautious not to slip and fall. 

You may also fall in the tub or shower. Experts suggest installing grab bars around them.

The CDC estimates about 640 people go to the emergency room of hospitals for non-fatal injuries due to slips and falls on the bathroom flooring. Therefore, always be careful and immediately wipe wet bathroom tiles to mitigate the risks.

2. Use of a Cotton Swab

You may think that the tiny cotton swab is harmless, but unfortunately, if you use it in your ear, you may suffer from infection or injury. You may put it too deep inside, causing eardrum damage. 

A 2017 study showed that 73% of children’s ear injuries were due to the use of cotton swabs when ear cleaning. 

Therefore, you should ditch the cotton buds and use baby oil to soften the ear wax and warm water to rinse the ear. Then, you should drain the water and dry your ear.

3. Bad Etiquette in Using the Toilet

It would help to close the toilet seat lid after using it, as keeping it open will cause the bacteria to remain in the air for 30 minutes. 

Public restrooms are also unsafe because people don’t close the lid when flushing. 

In addition, ineffective hand drying or handwashing, uncovered trash cans, blocked drains, and poor surface cleaning contribute to the proliferation of viruses and bacteria.

4. Mold Growth

Another issue that you should consider is mold growth because it can cause several health problems. 

First, you should ensure your bathroom has proper ventilation because mold thrives in poorly ventilated spaces. Moreover, molds can spread to other adjacent rooms.

Before you perform mold removal, you should first do a mold inspection, especially under sinks, around exhaust fans, bathroom fixtures, access doors to the shower, and in basements and crawl spaces under the bathrooms.

5. Shampoo and Conditioner

You may love your sweet-smelling, lathery, and bubbly shampoo and conditioner. However, these haircare products may have harmful chemicals. 

Therefore, you should first check the label for ingredients that are disadvantageous to your health. For instance, do you know that you may suffer from clogged pores and scalp dryness due to these chemicals?

Moreover, your shampoo and conditioner may contain ingredients that cause hormonal disruptions, cancer, and congenital issues. 

Therefore, you should choose hair care with organic or plant-based ingredients and avoid those with sulfate, phthalates, and parabens.

Final Thoughts

For better health, you should check your bathroom for hazards that may cause you to slip, fall, suffer an ear injury, or get sick due to bacteria, mold, and harmful chemicals. 

Health care is paramount, so be careful and ensure that your bathroom isn’t only clean but also safe.