Bathroom: Health24: Healthy home

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Bathroom

The bathroom is the room in the house that gets used most frequently by everyone. Because the toilet is here, the danger of bacterial infection is high. The sharing of showers, basins and baths also holds certain health risks. This section explores how you can keep this room clean.

Click on the item on the left to find out why this could be a problem area and what you can do to sort it out.

Drainpipes - problems & solutions

Bathroom drainpipes are easily clogged by hair, soap particles and toothpaste, making the already dark, hot and moist circumstances in drains fertile breeding ground for germs.

The floor - problems & solutions

Bathrooms are often wet and humid places and this creates an ideal environment for bacteria in which to thrive.

The bath - problems & solutions

Even though the largest part of the bath is usually enameled, there are nevertheless cracks in which bacteria can harbour.

The basin - problems & solutions

Hands can be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria and hair can clog basins and trap germs.

The toilet - problems & solutions

The toilet is potentially a germ trap, as it often contains faecal matter and urine.

Bathroom air - problems & solutions

Air quality in bathrooms is generally low, as there is insufficient ventilation and tremendously high levels of humidity, as steam emits from both the bath and the shower.

The shower - problems & solutions

The warm, moist and dark conditions in the shower make it a germ danger zone.

The ambience - problems & solutions

Visualise your bathroom. If you're seeing wet towels on the floor, an overflowing wash basket, orange tiles, and a mouldy shower curtain, perhaps it's time to transform this room.