Keeping our bathrooms clean is about a whole lot more than just making them look presentable when guests come round. It’s essential for creating a hygienic, welcoming and genuinely comforting space to get ourselves clean. And unlike many other rooms in the house that only need a quick dust or a vacuum, the bathroom is a little more high maintenance, with a few hidden germ magnets thrown in, one of which experts claim is even dirtier than your toilet seat.
The moist, steamy nature of our bathrooms – along with everything else that happens in there – makes them the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of grimy, nasty bacteria. And while giving the toilet a good scrub and wiping down surfaces are a given (I hope), there are still a few tasks that tend to be overlooked or even done incorrectly, within those tiled walls.
Which brings us to one particularly secret germ hotspot. An item you might not think of as grubby, but is secretly harbouring a colony of bacteria, and it’s lurking right under your toes.
Why your bath mat could be the dirtiest thing in your room
When you think of the dirtiest items in your bathroom, your mind probably (and reasonably) jumps straight to the loo. The toilet, toilet brush and surrounding area all feel like safe bets for the germiest spot. But as it turns out, there’s another item quietly working away as a grime magnet – one we probably haven’t been paying nearly enough attention to. In fact, it’s something we rely on to keep us clean and dry after a shower: the old reliable, yet often-overlooked, bath mat.
When you stop and think about it, it makes perfect sense. The naturally humid environment of a bathroom means there’s always moisture lingering in the air – and that dampness easily settles into fabrics, creating the ideal conditions for grime. Then there’s what we bring to it. We step straight out of the shower on to our mats, dripping wet, shedding not just water but bacteria from our hair, dead skin, body oils, dust and other debris.
Bath mats are constantly absorbing moisture, but without proper airflow, that dampness lingers deep in the fibres, allowing mildew, mould and even fungi to develo – all of which can be harmful to our health, not to mention smelly. They also collect dead skin cells from our feet (no matter how often you reach for the pumice stone). And yes, if you flush with the lid up, they can even pick up tiny particles of feces and urine from the toilet. Less than ideal.
Despite all this, bath mats are often overlooked. Because they don’t always look dirty – and we’re not actively rubbing them on our bodies in the same way we do with towels – they tend to be washed far less frequently. Many of us are also cleaning and drying them incorrectly, allowing all those hidden germs to build up over time.
How to properly clean and care for your bath mat
First things first, when it comes to cleaning your bath mat, this needs to be a once-a-week minimum kind of job. Even if it doesn’t look dirty or feel wet, trust me, it is. If you’re in a house with a lot of foot traffic, then you might even be better off changing the mat with a spare twice a week.
When it comes to washing, you’ll want to start by shaking off any loose debris – you don’t really want to stick it in the machine along with clumps of hair and other muck. Once you do pop it in the machine, avoid washing too high. While, yes, this would do a great job at killing bacteria, bath mats also have a tendency to shrink and fade. We want it clean, but not at the expense of style – plus it can affect their absorbency and longevity.
Choose the gentle or delicate cycle, and wash them in warm (not hot) water with your regular detergent and other towels to balance the load. Avoid fabric softener, as this reduces absorbency. If you have a particularly stinky mat, no judgement here, you can try adding roughly 10 drops of tea tree oil to the wash for its antibacterial properties or a cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment to remove odours.
For rubber-backed mats, air-dry to avoid damage, while cotton or fabric mats can generally handle a low-heat dryer. Either way, just make sure it’s bone dry before returning to the bathroom.
Now, the key to keeping your bath mat from getting gross is all in the way you store and use it. You must hang it up after every use. Be this over the side of the bath, over the shower door or on the towel rail. This step can’t be skipped if you want to prevent moisture buildup, which leads to mould, mildew, unpleasant odours and a potential health hazard.
It needs consistent air flow to dry out all the post-shower suds you just dripped all over it, so leaving it on the floor is a surefire way to encourage all the nasties to settle in. Plus, this way you won’t be stepping onto a cold, damp germ sponge next time you head for a relaxing shower. For complete clarity of conscience, bamboo or stone bath mats make for a quick dry and more antibacterial option, too.
