Why Your Bathroom Might Not Be as Clean as You Think

Everyone has different ways of keeping the bathroom clean. Maybe you’re following bathroom organization tips to create more storage space. You might even start remodeling your small restroom so it feels less cramped. These methods are sure to keep your space neat and tidy, but what if the grossest part of your restroom were invisible to the eye?

Although stopping the spread of germs has been a major focus during the pandemic, Americans still aren’t doing enough to keep their bathrooms clean. From forgetting to disinfect the shower curtain to skipping hand washing, the thing making your restroom the dirtiest might just be your hygiene habits. 

To find out what’s really going on inside people’s restrooms, we looked closely at a recent bathroom cleanliness survey on American habits. Keep reading to learn the dirty truth.

How Often Americans Clean the Bathroom

Cleaning the whole bathroom can seem like a hassle, which might be why Americans don’t do it as frequently as they should. Here’s a breakdown of how often Americans clean their restrooms:

• At least once a week: 38% 

• Twice a month: 20%

• Once a month: 22%

• Less than once a month: 20%

Although the majority of Americans clean the loo at least every other week, 42% only do the dirty work once a month at most. 

Grossed out yet? Before you rush to scrub the bathtub and disinfect the toilet seat, you might want to know where most of your bathroom germs are actually concentrated.

The Shower Curtain Problem

Even if you think you’re cleaning every surface, you might be forgetting about the part of your bathroom that picks up the most grime: the shower curtain.

When compared to a toilet seat, a shower curtain holds 60 times more bacteria. The higher potential for germs isn’t helped by American bathroom cleaning habits. In fact, 70% of Americans wash their shower curtains less than once a month, and 51% wash them less than twice a year. 

If you fail to clean your shower curtain, the moisture in the bathroom can cause mold and mildew to develop. To avoid this gross buildup, experts advise washing your shower curtain every week. Keeping both your bathroom and your body clean means disinfecting the shower curtain often.

Other Common Bad Habits

In addition to the 29% who ignore the grime on their shower curtains, Americans have loads of other gross bathroom habits. Check out some of the most common ones:

• Reusing disposable razors: 35% of Americans keep their disposable razors longer than they should, which can lead to microscopic tears in the skin that might increase the risk of certain infections.

• Using towels for over a week: Even though experts recommend replacing your bathroom towels every other day, 33% of Americans use their bacteria-filled towels for more than one week.

• Using loofahs for over a month: 22% of Americans reuse loofahs longer than recommended, with women being 80% more likely to do so.

• Not washing hands: 22% of Americans also admit that they’ve skipped hand washing after using the restroom, and men are 40% more guilty of this gross habit.

• Brushing teeth on the toilet: Despite all the germs on a toilet, 11% of Americans brush their teeth while sitting on one.

Now the filthy secret is out — Americans really don’t clean their bathroom as often or thoroughly as they should. 

If you think you fall under this category, it’s easy to change your ways. To level-up your bathroom cleaning habits, be sure to steer clear of the nasty practices that lead bacteria to grow. While you’re at it, do a bit of bathroom reorganization and renovation. That way, you can keep your bathroom both upgraded and clean.

Guest Post - Why Having More Than one Bathroom is a Must

When we buy or rent a house, we seldom think about one extremely crucial point. The number of bathrooms available on the property. There was a time when having even a single indoor bathroom was considered an absolute luxury. Thankfully, those days are now long behind us. Let us take a quick look and see why it is absolutely imperative to have multiple bathrooms in your home or office:

• It Accommodates Family Growth as well as Guests 

If you are a single person, all well and good. But if there are more people in the house and your little ones are fast approaching an age when they won’t need diapers then ‘Houston we have a problem!’ Kids need their privacy and you can’t give it to them when there is only one washroom in the house. If you are already living with a large family then fighting over the bathroom can become a highly aggravating daily issue. However, a few extra bathrooms will end this daily (sometimes hourly) battle and you guys will all be able to go to work and school on time. An extra bathroom also makes a whole lot of sense if you are interested in hosting any holiday get-togethers or even in case you get a few overnight visitors. The few extra bathrooms that you have thoughtfully added to your home will save you from a lot of potential embarrassment and protect you and your family from germs as well. 

• It Adds a Whole New World of Convenience

If your home has multiple extra bathrooms, on every floor, you would not need to go up or down to relieve yourself every few hours.  Neither will you have to give visitors a ton of instructions whenever they want to use your facilities. An extra personal bathroom complete with its own shower stall will allow you to get ready for work every day at your own pace.  It is also a great boon for the elderly who may not be able to navigate the steps every time they want to use the bathroom. Finally, an extra bathroom can help you to keep your privacy whenever you use the loo. 

• It Will Utilize Extra Space 

A walk-in bathroom does not require a lot of space. Consider the large and unused cupboard under the staircase, the unused loft, the superfluous extra-large cupboard in the master bedroom. Actually many, if not most homes tend to have plenty of random nooks, corners, and crannies that rarely ever get to be used. They are either crammed full of useless junk or are covered in cobwebs and dust. You would be able to make excellent use of such real estate and make magnificent bathrooms out of them. Once you find that small corner or space, you will be good to go. And if you were to do it multiple times in different parts of the house, you will be sure to find an unoccupied bathroom whenever you need it the most. 

• Renovating Your Own Bathroom

This is also a great option, especially if your old washroom looks old and jaded. You can partner with general contractors who can help you with anything around the house, even siding. They will especially guide you on your bathroom renovation and you can easily spruce it up with a few really snazzy ideas. You can put in a new wall-to-wall bathtub or even a shower wall replete with its own shower curtains. You can also opt for slip-free floorings and brand-new sanitary fittings. If hot water is a big problem, it will be a good idea to replace the water heater with something better and more state-of-the-art. There are plenty of great water heater companies around, such as the Sacramento Water Heaters Company. They can easily get the job done with minimum cost and effort to ensure that you get fresh clean hot water whenever you want; in either your refurbished bathroom or even a new one. 

• Conclusion 

We can see that multiple bathrooms with running hot water are the need of the hour. After all, this is the 21st century and everyone from your kids to your parents to your guests needs a bathroom. Most important of all you need and deserve your own personal one too!

Author Bio: Lena Linetti is an architect based in San Francisco.

Best Tips for Organizing Your Bathroom

Whether you want to sort your bathroom because you’re having guests or because it’s simply on your to-do list, it can seem like a daunting task. Here are a few of the best tips for organizing your bathroom to get you started.

Tackle Cabinets and Drawers

Maybe you’re a fan of throwing items into a drawer or under the sink for an “out of sight, out of mind” solution. Or maybe you prefer the “organized chaos” system. Either way, it’s time to tackle these cluttered spaces. A great way to organize bathroom drawers is with dividers, much like a cutlery drawer. Try tiered stands for sorting products in the cabinet under the sink. Place items and products you use most often on the countertop or in the closest drawer; everything else can go below the sink or in a lower drawer.

Install Shelves

Shelves are an easy way to give your bathroom a cleaner and more organized look instantly. By installing shelves, you can clear space from your floors, vanity, or countertops. Some shelves even serve a decorative purpose. For example, glass shelves are a great way to display decor, and these shelves serve several other benefits to your bathroom as well.

The same concept goes for inside and outside of the shower! Are your shampoo and soap bottles constantly performing a balancing act on the edge of your tub? Save yourself space and the headache by picking up a shelving system for in-shower use. You can hang these over the showerhead, stick them to the tile wall with suction cups, and more. This type of shelving can keep your bottles from slipping and falling every time you shower and keep them organized.

Towel Solutions

Folded towels take up a ton of space on shelves or in your closet. If you have more wall space than storage space, install a few more towel rods or hooks. This will keep towels accessible from the shower and free up more of that precious storage space. Hanging a towel to dry is also more sanitary and prevents mildew.

And there you have it! These are three of the best tips for organizing your bathroom that you can knock out in an afternoon. By setting up these organizational tools, you can more easily maintain your clutter-free bathroom too. Try out these tips today in your home!

Smart Faucets for Your Smart Home

Many people have turned to smart appliances to modernize their homes and increase their properties' real estate value. However, smart plumbing should be equally valued. Smart plumbing saves money while helping reduce the impact of wasted resources. For instance, smart faucets have become the norm in many homes that are built in North America. 

Smart faucets can be installed by a professional plumber and are touchless appliances. They will help conserve water and also reduce the risk of germ transmission. Given the pandemic that has currently impacted the world, any steps that can be taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 should be taken.

Smart faucets have state of the art sensors that will automatically detect movement. Simply move or wave your hand to turn the device on and off. 

Here we will discuss smart faucets for your smart home and how a plumber  can help you achieve your plumbing goals.

Full Control Without Hands

Smart faucets have many benefits when compared to conventional faucets. For example, they will help reduce the spread of germs, soap, and even grease from food and kitchen utensils to other surfaces as they are contactless devices. 

Given the Coronavirus pandemic that has currently affected the world, many companies have begun installing smart faucets in their facilities. Smart faucets' goal is to reduce the spread of germs and foodstuffs from person to person and surface to surface while reducing the amount of water used. 

Simply call an Etobicoke plumber, and they will install smart faucets in your bathroom and kitchen in record time.

Accurate Dispensing

Smart faucets are intentionally designed with low flow water rates in mind. Saving water is essential for reasons that go beyond reducing spillage. Smart faucets are designed only to activate when a person is washing their hands. As soon as the person removes their hands from underneath the faucet, the device’s sensor will turn off the faucet immediately. As a result, no water is wasted. 

Some smart faucets are so advanced that the user can obtain the precise amount of water they need without using measuring cups. If you would like to purchase a more advanced smart faucet, please discuss your smart faucet needs with a licensed and bonded plumber.

Effective and Accurate Monitoring

Smart faucets will carefully monitor the amount of water that you have used. Smart water meters ensure that readings are more accurate while also helping curb water wastage in the process. 

In fact, smart water meters will monitor your water consumption rates and send you alerts whenever they detect abnormal water use. For example, you may be dealing with a water leak, in which case the device will notify you asap. You can then call an plumber to fix the leak before it gets worse.

Your utility company will also monitor your water usage remotely, which is quite useful, given the global pandemic and social distancing mandates being issued in most countries. They won’t have to come to your home to read your water meter either, and you will be sent a bill electronically.

Water Filtration Benefits

You can either remove your old faucet in order to install a smart faucet or you can affix your smart faucet to your existing faucet. A smart faucet will also filter water to remove impurities. You can also opt for a battery-operated device or an electronic version.

Many people turn to bottled water to quench their thirst. Water bottles exacerbate the global pollution problem and are a waste of money. Water filters also need to be replaced and can quickly add up in terms of costs.

If you live in an area that suffers from hard water or poor drinking water quality, then a smart faucet may allow you to drink water straight from your kitchen tap. In fact, a smart faucet will measure the number of contaminants in your water. Each smart faucet device will come with a smartphone app that will provide you with an accurate water quality reading. The app will also immediately notify you of local water contamination alerts to always be in the know.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe

You will never have to worry about your water being too hot or cold with a smart faucet.  If you have elderly family members living at home, you won’t have to worry about injuring themselves when they use your sinks. Your children will also be protected from scalding themselves, as smart faucets are much safer than conventional faucets. Your loved ones will also be protected from E.coli and Salmonella poisoning, and smart faucets tend to have a sleek design that is easy to sanitize.

Conclusion

With money being tight due to the pandemic, many people have installed smart faucets to reduce the risk of illness and reduce their utility bills.

Smart faucets are designed to reduce water wastage, which will help you do your part for the environment while also drastically reducing your water bill. These top of the line faucets have sensors that will automatically stop the water flow when the person removes their hands from underneath the device. Water overflow issues can be eliminated, reducing the risk of damage being done to your building or home in the future.

There are also many different types and brands of smart faucets available on the market. Most companies have jumped on board the smart appliance bandwagon to remain competitive.