Everyone has their own specific shower routine. Whether you like to double-shampoo, listen to music while you scrub up or have the temperature in just the right spot – whatever it is, we all have a routine and habits we like to stick to. But as it turns out, our daily shower habits could be secretly contributing to a problem that’s far from squeaky clean.
Mould and mildew are common problems in bathrooms. Naturally, these tend to be warm and wet spaces, two things bacteria not only love, but thrive in. So while I’m sure you take the basic precautions to discourage mould growth – opening windows and turning on the fan and such – it could actually be your everyday absent-minded habits that are causing persistent mould buildup in your bathroom.
Yes, as it turns out, the way you shower is just as important as the way you clean when it comes to keeping mould out of your bathroom. Everything from the temperature you shower at to the way you hang your towel has a direct impact. So to make sure you’re giving your home the best chance at defending itself against harmful mould, these are the common steps in your shower routine you need to change, today.
Closing the door
We all know (I hope) that opening the window after a steamy shower is one of the most effective ways to decrease the risk of mould. Opening the window after a shower expels the steam, which lowers the room’s relative humidity, quickly drying surfaces and preventing the growth of harmful mould and mildew. But what you may not have thought of is how impactful the door can be, too.
Closing the door is a very common mistake in a shower routine. It may be instinctual to protect privacy, maintain warmth or maybe the thought simply hasn’t crossed your mind – but keeping doors shut traps the humidity in the space. If the moisture has nowhere to go, ie out the front door, it lingers on surfaces for longer, eventually turning into mould and mildew. Definitely make sure to open it wide once finished.
Hanging damp towels
Now, this may be the most common habit of all – and likely the most surprising mould contributor. While it may feel instinctual to store your towels in the room in which you use them, the truth is it’s a huge moisture magnet.
As towels dry, they release water into the room, raising humidity levels and making it harder for surfaces such as walls, ceilings, grout and sealant to dry out properly. In bathrooms with poor ventilation, this extra moisture can linger for hours, creating the damp conditions that mould thrives in. Towels that are repeatedly left damp can also develop mould and mildew themselves, particularly if they’re folded over hooks or rails in a way that restricts airflow. Whenever possible, towels should be spread out fully and allowed to dry in a well-ventilated space. Sorry to break it to you, but it’s time to move your towels.
Taking long, hot showers
Not to be a party pooper, but those lovely long showers you enjoy after a long, hard day at work, could be another source of mould spores. Don’t get me wrong, I also love a hot shower, but once you learn the consequences, it becomes a lot harder to relax.
By producing large amounts of steam, these indulgent showers raise humidity levels throughout the bathroom. The more moisture that’s released into the air, the more likely it is to settle on surfaces such as walls, ceilings, windows, grout and sealant as condensation. If these surfaces don't have time to dry out properly, they can remain damp for extended periods, creating the ideal conditions for mould to develop. While you don’t need to give up your hot shower entirely, keeping showers shorter and ensuring the room is well-ventilated can help reduce the risk.
Not cleaning soap scum
Cleanliness when showering should not only be a concern for you and your body. As it turns out, being sloppy with your shampoo bottle can impact more than just the visuals in your bathroom.
Soap scum and product residue can contribute to mould growth by creating a sticky layer on shower surfaces that traps moisture and provides a food source for mould spores. Residue from soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash can build up on tiles, grout, sealant and shower screens, making it harder for these surfaces to dry properly after use.
When combined with the warm, humid conditions typically found in bathrooms, this lingering moisture and organic matter creates an ideal environment for mould to take hold and spread. So before you even step out of the shower, add one more step to your routine and make sure all the surfaces are wiped down, to prevent feeding the mouldy beast.
Showering too much
Sometimes fighting over the shower and taking back-to-back rinses is inevitable, I live in a flat-share so I am definitely guilty of this one. But having too many showers in a small space of time can have some pretty nasty consequences.
Back-to-back showers can encourage mould growth because bathrooms don’t have enough time to dry out between uses. Each shower adds more moisture to the air, keeping humidity levels high and leaving surfaces such as tiles, grout, sealant and walls damp for longer. Over time, regularly heightened humidity levels can lead to increased condensation and therefore a greater risk of mould developing. In busy family homes where several people shower one after another, the bathroom can remain humid for hours. This is particularly problematic during winter when windows are less likely to be opened and external walls are colder.
So where possible, give your bathroom a break. Leave at least 20 minutes between hot showers, with windows and extractor fans open and on.
Leaving out the bath mat
This is an ongoing debate I have with my flatmates. I’m constantly begging them to pick up the bath mat after they finish their shower – and this is exactly why. This simple habit is more than just a matter of me being pernickety.
Bath mats absorb a lot of water, and when they’re left on the floor, the underside can stay damp for hours due to the lack of airflow. This trapped moisture creates the perfect environment for mould and mildew to thrive, both on the mat itself and on the flooring underneath. Over time, repeatedly leaving a wet bath mat in place can also contribute to higher humidity levels in the bathroom, making mould problems more likely elsewhere, too. Hanging your bath mat up to dry after use is a simple habit that can help keep moisture – and mould – at bay, so just do it.
Leaving the shower curtain open
The humble shower curtain is most likely a household item you rarely cast a thought on. But, I’d guess your subconscious habits surrounding them could be one of the reasons you’re struggling with stubborn mould and mildew.
If you leave a shower curtain bunched up after showering, moisture becomes trapped within the folds, preventing it from drying properly. This creates the warm, damp conditions that mould and mildew thrive in, often leading to those familiar black or pink stains along the bottom of the curtain. A curtain that isn’t cleaned regularly can also accumulate soap scum and product residue, which provide an additional food source for mould. Simply stretching the curtain out fully after each shower can help it dry more quickly and reduce the likelihood of mould taking hold. A simple habit swap could make a world of difference.
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