We all like to see a spotless bathroom, but we also know that germs are invisible, and the looks of a place can often be deceiving. We might think that the germs that surround us every day are harmless because we’ve built up resistance to them, but there are actually a lot more dangers than you might realize. Don’t panic – here are ways you can make sure that your home is safe and clean while educating yourself about the possible harms.

Fungi

You probably wear flip-flops or some kind of footwear when you’re at a public pool, or anywhere with a wet floor. You also change your socks as soon as they get wet and learn to keep your feet dry. This is because it’s incredibly easy to contract some kind of fungi from a damp, unclean environment. This is relatively easy to counter and avoid, simply by avoiding going barefoot in public places and keeping your bathroom floor clean and your feet dry. If you do get fungi, most of the time it’s easy to get rid of with proper treatment, recommended by a dermatologist. It’s important not to try to pick the fungi or treat them yourself, because the wrong treatment could actually make the problem worse than it originally was. Fungi found in moldy places can actually cause allergies as well and can cause many problems for people with asthma, so make sure that you’re always wiping down and airing your bathroom to dry it out.

Drain bacteria

There is a reason why plumbing is important: it makes sure that anything that leaves our bodies that might carry bacteria goes away, and keeps our spaces clean. However, if you have bad plumbing, a clogged drain or any issue where fecal matter sticks around your home, the bacteria can enter the air and get you sick. When I noticed a smell in my bathroom, especially since it was a hot Australian summer, I called the experts for blocked drains from Perth area and it turned out there was a problem, which could have been very dangerous, especially for someone immunocompromised. If you smell something off in your bathroom, notice that the drains are working at a low capacity or that there is water coming out of the, call a plumbing service immediately to fix the problem.

Direct contamination

Most intestinal viruses are carried in feces and can easily get to our bodies if we’re using a space that isn’t properly cleaned, or if we don’t do the basic hygiene rituals like washing your hands before leaving the bathroom. These viruses can be mild and simply be a nuisance, but they can also be as serious as salmonella, E. coli and shigella. All of these viruses can cause symptoms which, if untreated, can lead do serious injury and in some cases even death. Luckily, if you keep your bathroom clean, wash your hands and use hand sanitizer, eat food that you know has been prepared in hygienic conditions and generally make sure your surroundings are clean, you should be fine. You don’t have to scrub your bathroom down every day, especially if you’re the only person using it.

It’s important to remember that there’s no reason to panic, because while there are bacteria all around us at all times, only 1-2% of them can make us sick. People who have good hygiene practices and a clean home are at low risk, and you should really only be careful when using public restrooms. Kids are always more likely to get infected with these diseases than adults, so it’s important to teach the younger generations about clean practices and habits, to keep them safe and ensure a smaller number of viral outbreaks in the future.