Do You Have Healthy Bath & Shower Habits?
Your bath and shower are supposed to be the one place in your house where you can guarantee cleanliness. It’s where you depend on cleaning yourself, after all! Soap and water are constantly being cycled through, so it is hard to imagine that it can be anything other than clean. However, dangerous bacteria lurk, and it is a breeding ground for mold and mildew. In fact, bacteria such as Streptococcus, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) lurk in every part of your bathroom and can cause painful symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. (source) Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your bath and shower healthy for you and your entire family, plus the one safe and healthy bathing product your family needs.
Wash Your Towels Frequently
We are all guilty of reusing towels and hanging them back up once we’ve dried off. Nothing wrong with saving water and laundry time, especially in a busy family. However, it is important to wash your towels after a minimum of three uses. This pans out to about twice a week, and it should be more often if it is summertime or if anyone in your family has recently been sick.
Damp towels are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, so make sure you hang them up flat and spread out, rather than from a hook, so that they can dry completely and quickly between uses. And, your gym towel? Get that thing in the laundry room after every use!
Hang Up Your Razor
If you use a soap dish, you are familiar with all the yucky gunk that accumulates in it. Soap, hair, dirty water, and hard water can all hang out in there for a long time. The same type of thinking goes with a razor. Once you are done with your razor, make sure you store it outside of your bath or shower, or invest in a razor hook to hang it up. This way, it won’t be sitting in a pool of gunk and bacteria between uses, and it will dry more quickly. This will give you peace of mind that you and your family will steer clear of skin infections!
Clean With Vinegar
You can ditch all of the harsh chemical cleaners for your bathroom. Sometimes, they do more harm than good—especially if you are pregnant or have very young children in your home. The best, and most effective, way to clean your bathroom is by using good ol’ vinegar. Its acidic properties easily dissolve mineral deposits, bacteria, dirt, grease, and grime. Honestly, it’s great as an all-around cleaner for your entire home!
It’s super simple to make a vinegar cleaning solution. Here’s how:
One part is distilled white vinegar Two parts water Squeeze of lemon juice Combine all in a spray bottle, and voila! Spray away in your bath and shower and let it sit for a few minutes. Give a scrub and a rinse, and your bath and shower are now clean and germ-free. For really tough water stains, add in some baking soda to the mix.
Ditch Your Loofah and Washcloth
Loofahs and washcloths are a pretty popular (and seemingly standard) way to wash your body. Sure, they get all nice and sudsy and feel soft on your skin. However, loofahs and washcloths are just about the dirtiest thing you can wash your body with. They don’t ever totally dry out, so the loofah is a beautiful breeding ground for bacteria. Loofahs can contain fungal organisms that lead to skin infections. (source) By their nature, loofah sponges have lots of nooks and crannies, and they’re very porous. When people use a loofah to scrub off dead skin cells, those cells become lodged in the nooks and crannies. And that sets the stage for bacterial breeding ground, says dermatologist Melissa Piliang, MD.
So, what can you do? Silicone scrubbers are a great alternative. Silicone is naturally mold and mildew resistant and is able to dry quickly, even in the shower. You don’t have to worry about germs and gunk getting stuck inside of it!
The Best Silicone Bath Scrub for the Whole Family
Ready to make the switch to silicone bath products? The Innobaby Massage Mitt is here!
Designed to perfectly fit your hand with a thumbhole, just like a mitt, this scrubbie will gently wash up every member of your family—even your dog! The double-sided mitt helps scrub away dirt and dead skin while also gentle enough to use on even the smallest member of your family. Use the side with the smaller bristles to easily lather up your body, then switch to the side with the larger bristles to give yourself a heavenly scalp massage with your favorite shampoo.
The Innobaby Silicone Massage Mitt is made of food-grade silicone, which means it isn’t filled with toxins like BPA, Phthalates, PVC, latex, and lead, giving you peace of mind to use even on your newborn baby. Silicone is also naturally mold and mildew resistant, making it the perfect material for your favorite shower scrubbie. Silicone also dries fast; simply shake to dry after each use and it will last you for years to come. You can also sterilize your mitt for a deep clean!
Want more parenting hacks and safe products for your family? Visit us at innobaby.com!