Recently, we flagged all the things that guests are judging you for in the kitchen – true accounts from (thankfully) anonymous sources that bring those little red flags to light. We’re talking about things you might not think twice about, but they make your guests wince with every visit – unwashed tea towels, smelly kitchen bins, the works.
I’m never going to be invited to another home again at this rate, because this time we’re focusing on what guests judge you for in the bathroom. You might think surfaces are spritzed and the toilet is bleached, but there are other bugbears for your guests. We’ve listed seven here to give you the heads-up.
As before, we’ve kept our guests anonymous for obvious reasons…
1. Dirty toilet brush
No one wants to encounter a dirty toilet brush, let alone one that belongs to another household, so this is one thing to consider before you entertain – especially if it’s on display for all to see.
‘At a friend’s dinner party, I went to the bathroom (as you do) and as I was washing my hands, my eyes drifted down to the toilet brush holder. I immediately regretted it,’ recalls one horrified guest. ‘The plastic brush had bits of toilet paper clinging stubbornly to the bristles and there was a suspicious ring of grime around the inside of the holder. It might sound dramatic, but I actually think I threw up a little bit in my mouth. I’m not the biggest fan of toilet brushes at the best of times, but a dirty one really is a huge no-no.’
You should be cleaning your toilet brush at least once a week to keep on top of bacteria. To do this, tip hot soapy water into the holder, swish it around (with the brush in place), drain it away and rinse. Then add cold water with a few drops of bleach to disinfect, let stand for 10 minutes, then tip away and rinse. Your toilet brush should also be replaced every three months.
2. Toothpaste on the mirror
Residue on the bathroom mirror is pretty disgusting when you think about it – there’s spit, toothpaste, makeup and even residual food from when we floss… If it’s gross on our own terms, imagine how disgusting it is to see it splattered on the mirror around a friend’s house?
‘I hate seeing toothpaste splatters on the mirrors above bathroom sinks – surely it’s not that hard to aim your minty spray gently down the plug hole?’ asks one disgruntled house guest. ‘Worse still, my own partner is a prime suspect for this crime and never notices me passive-aggressively wiping down my mirror every day to hammer home my disgust.’ A quick spritz with a proprietary glass cleaner or some diluted vinegar (nine parts water to one part vinegar) is always recommended when guests will be using the primary bathroom (the one where you brush your teeth). Wipe clean with a microfibre cloth and run a squeegee over the surface for streak-free results.
3. Missing hand towels
For guests, hand towels play a crucial role in your bathroom. They should be clean, dry, fluffy and, most importantly, present, as one unhappy house guest notes:
‘There’s nothing worse than washing your hands only to have no hand towel. You then have to play the bath towel lottery, trying not to think about who it belongs to. I don’t know what’s worse: a missing hand towel, a stained hand towel or a damp hand towel… All three make me want to air-dry.’
You should wash your towels at 60 degrees to kill bacteria (if the care label allows), using biological detergent for the best stain removal, but avoid fabric softener, which deters the moisture absorbency. Then shake out before you dry and hang them up in a well-ventilated space. Throwing a couple of dryer balls into the dryer can help to soften them up, too. Aim to wash your hand towels at least once a week.
4. Urine stains
There’s nothing more disgusting than lingering urine stains around the toilet. They might not be on the rim itself, but the evidence is still there for all guests to see. ‘I’ve often seen urine stains splattered on painted walls, dripped (and dried) directly in front of the toilet and even speckled on stainless steel toilet brushes and bins alongside,’ says one unhappy visitor.
Wiping over the surrounding surfaces with a bathroom cleaner and microfibre cloth takes seconds to do and can make all the difference. Don’t just focus on the usual areas, either. Look all around the toilet and consider where there might be blind spots. This is a stain we overlook easily when there are young children in the home.
5. Scummy toothbrush
If your guests will be paying a visit to the bathroom where you brush your teeth, you also need to stop and consider your personal effects. ‘The thing that really grosses me out in other people’s bathrooms is the brown scum on the bottom of electric toothbrushes,’ says a horrified guest. ‘I spotted it at a friend’s house once and it turned my stomach. It’s meant to clean, yet it’s coated in grime. Then you think about people touching that base and going on to touch other surfaces or even food – revolting!’
Seldom-cleaned electric toothbrushes can also show a lot of white stains around the head (calcified toothpaste) and even mould and bacteria around the joint (if the head’s never removed). To clean this tool, start by disinfecting the head by upturning it and standing it in mouthwash for 15 minutes, then give the body a onceover with a damp microfibre cloth. You can run a disinfectant wipe over the body to kill any lingering germs.
6. Rogue potty
One guest was left bemused when she found a kid’s toilet-training seat still sitting proudly on the loo: ‘There’s something slightly gross about having to remove a kids’ toilet seat when you’re a guest in someone’s house. You’re stood there, wondering, “Where do I even put this?” while trying not to think about germs.’
A training seat will very likely have residue on it after each use, so even if you keep on top of cleaning it, a guest’s unease is understandable. Find a dedicated space to conceal the seat when it’s not in use, but keep it accessible for emergencies. Clean training seats after each use with mild soapy water and use Milton’s Antibacterial Surface Wipes when needed to disinfect. If the seat is attached to the toilet, remove it if possible before guests arrive, or at least put the smaller seat up in advance.
7. Musty mop
You might think leaving your cleaning tools in the bathroom shows you’ve made an effort, but it often has the reverse effect. One guest recalls: ‘I was sitting on the loo only to be greeted by a dirty mop in the corner – just sprawled, head-down, on the floor with yellowed strings, while a dirty tea towel was draped across the bucket next to it (why not leave the mop in the bucket?). It felt so out of place, like something I'd expect in a student flat, not a family home. I was shocked. In fact, it was so bad I took a photo and sent it to my husband.’
Whether you have rubber gloves, microfibre cloths or a mop left on display in your bathroom, it doesn’t imply the space is clean – at best, it says it’s in progress. Plus, if your cleaning tools look worse for wear, that suggests your home is cleaned to a similar standard. Make sure your removable mop heads and microfibre cloths are washed routinely at a temperature of 60 degrees to kill bacteria (cloths should be machine-washed after every use, and removable mop heads after every three-four uses) and then hung up to dry completely before replacing. It’s also good practice to disinfect your mop head after each session. And find a concealed place for your cleaning tools – they ruin the spa-like zen of the bathroom.
Bathroom cleaning kit
