12 Things You Want to Keep Out of Your Bathroom at All Costs

We’re so used to going to the bathroom and finding the usual stuff there that we hardly ever stop to think about whether or not it’s actually “normal” to have those things in there. At first sight, it might seem like having your razor blade, or even toilet paper, stored there is sort of the obvious thing to do since you’ll be using these things in there, and only in there. However, it turns out that things that we normally find in bathrooms would better be stored somewhere else.

Bright Side wanted to raise awareness about a few hygiene and safety practices that we think are being overlooked, so we carried out some research online and found the most common objects stored in the bathroom, that should definitely not be there. You’ll be surprised to know that not even TP belongs in the bathroom!

1. Razor blades

It is common for razors to be made of steel in order to make sure they shave well and that they last for a long time. However, even if shaving in the bathroom is the most common thing to do, it is not really recommended to keep your razor blades in there. That’s because the bathroom is a very humid room. You have to keep in mind that prolonged contact with water can cause razor blades to rust more quickly. As a result, the blade will lose its sharpness and shaving will not only be less effective, but could also be more painful. Clearly, that also means that you should never leave a wet razor blade in the sink...

2. Towels

It’s clear that you need towels in the bathroom. They’re used when drying your hands or face after washing them and when getting out of the shower, but that still doesn’t mean the bathroom is the best place to keep them. In fact, it is far from advisable to have them there at all times. Like we said before, the bathroom is the room of the house where it’s more likely for mold or fungi to appear because of how humid it is. Having things like bathrobes, robes, or towels there can help germs build up in their fabrics. If this happens, not only will we be dealing with an unhygienic and odorous situation, but it could also be dangerous to our health.

3. Meds

It’s such a common thing for everyone to store and keep the medicines we commonly take on some kind of shelf, in a small cupboard or drawer in the bathroom. But actually, we should not be doing that. Storing these types of products in the bathroom can cause them to lose their healing properties more quickly and even spoil them due to the amount of humidity and heat that is released from both showering and continuously using the sink. Medicines lose some of their effectiveness and even expire sooner than they should when stored in humid and hot conditions.

4. Jewelry

Leaving our jewelry in the bathroom, or worse, near the sink or shower, is a big mistake that could cost us some of our favorite accessories. In this case what is very likely to happen is that the metal that the jewelry is made of (either gold or silver), or the metal of the bijouterie, could easily rust if it’s constantly wet or humid. Clearly, rusty jewelry is far from being shiny and beautiful, but could also be a health hazard. Jewelry needs to be stored in a dry place, away from water and any type of humidity.

5. Sunscreen

This is also a common product that is found on bathroom shelves and in drawers all over the world, despite the fact that it should be kept in a dry place. This cream, which is usually used on a seasonal basis, should not be stored in the bathroom, as the humidity could lead to the loss of its properties and effects. That’s pretty dangerous because you think you’re protected when using it, but you actually aren’t. Not only that but when not stored properly, sunscreen could even become a breeding ground for mold and fungus.

6. Perfumes

Being one of the most popular products to wear after taking a steamy shower or simply as part of people’s daily morning routine, it is not uncommon to find perfume stored in the bathroom. After all, it seems like the logical place to keep it. However, despite how practical it is to have your perfume right there, it is not a good idea to store it in the bathroom. Once again, it’s because of the effect that humidity, as well as sudden changes in temperature, have on perfumes. These could lead to our favorite perfume losing some of their scent or even going bad.

7. Manicure and nail polish tools

Again, humidity comes into play as an element that damages or at least alters the properties of our products. In this case, we’re referring to nail polish, but it can also damage manicure or pedicure equipment. The constant changes of temperature in the bathroom caused by showers or baths, or just by washing our face on the sink, can affect the consistency of the nail polish. Once again it can cause fungus or mold to appear in the polish, so it’s better to keep it away from the bathroom.

8. Electrical appliances

In this case, we are not only talking about the deterioration that electrical appliances can suffer due to the constant humidity they’re subject to, but also about the danger of having this type of object near a water source. I mean, we all remember what happened to Mel Gibson in What Women Want. It’s better to avoid accidents that can cause serious injuries or even worse consequences. For safety reasons, please choose another place to store these appliances.

9. Cleaning products

There are several reasons why storing cleaning products in the bathroom is not recommended. The same advice goes for in the kitchen, by the way. Storing them in these places could potentially mean that they are within the reach of children. We all know that’s the perfect recipe for disaster. Not only that but also both of these places are humid. There’s also lots of water around there. Humidity and changes in temperature can also have an impact on the properties of cleaning products. We have to look for a dry spot where small children cannot have access to these products.

10. Makeup and brushes

Both makeup and brushes are elements that are commonly used, maintained, and kept in the bathroom. Once again, the bathroom is far from being the right place to store them. Humidity and temperature changes can cause makeup to wear out faster, not to mention the potential this creates for fungus and mold to appear. These, by the way, could actually damage your skin, so you really want to avoid this from happening. Ideally, you should look for a dry and fresh place to store any type of product that will be in contact with your skin.

11. Extra rolls of toilet paper

In this case, humidity and water are not necessarily the problem like in the previous points, but it might even be worse because we’ll be talking about germs. The bathroom is a place that germs love for many reasons, so storing your toilet paper there, especially if you do it close to the toilet, could potentially lead to a great number of germs making your TP their home. In fact, there’s a thing called toilet plume, which is basically a fancy way of saying that when you flush, germs fly all over the bathroom if the lid is up.

12. Books and magazines

We all enjoy the occasional magazine while sitting on the toilet and it’s actually a common thing for people to bring their books in there when taking a bath. But humidity could permanently damage your books and magazines. In some cases, you could even open them and find mold in between the pages. A bathroom is a place that, no matter how much you clean it, has a lot of germs that are prone to living between the pages of our books and magazines. So, despite us encouraging all the readers out there, it might be better to keep books and magazines out of the bathroom and where they belong, on a nice shelf in the living room where everyone can see them when they come in.

Which of these objects do you normally store in your bathroom? What other objects do you think should never be stored there and why? Have you ever seen mold or fungus grow on any of the objects we mentioned when stored in the bathroom?