These days, we are all aware of germs and personal hygiene: we wash our clothes regularly and shower every day, to say nothing of the rising popularity of antibacterial soap and hand sanitisers. But do you clean your makeup brushes regularly? What about your hand towels – how often do you change them?
Mattress Online has collected some disturbing data on some of the more unexpected household and personal items that could be negatively affecting your health.
Hand towels harbour germs, lots of them. However, a whopping 64 per cent of Britons wash theirs only once a month, risking wiping their hands with a towel that may contain E-coli bacteria.
Toothbrushes: a shocking 21 per cent of us only change our toothbrushes when they becomes unusable, when they should be replaced every two to three months. Also, keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible, especially if you forget to close the lid before flushing: particles of water, urine and faeces can travel up to 6ft. Nice.
Black spot on your shower curtain, ever wondered what those are? Well, in a word, they are mould; billions of tiny spores that can be responsible for skin irritations and allergies. The solution? Machine wash your shower curtain regularly.
Your phone could be why you're suffering with acne. If you press your phone to your face on a daily basis (most of us do), make sure to disinfect it regularly. In fact, the survey found that those who don't clean their phone regularly are twice as likely to suffer from breakouts.
Dirty makeup brushes can also be responsible for acne: they can harbour all sorts of bacteria, including the infection-causing streptococcus. Clean yours with a mild detergent at least once a week.
Now that you are informed about – and, we bet, repulsed by – the hygiene hazards lurking in your home, maybe chuck that hand sanitiser in the bin and clean your stuff properly instead?
