Each item in a house has its own place. And regardless of the size of our house, we all store most of our things in the bathroom. It’s actually very convenient that the hairdryer, the laundry basket, the feminine hygiene items, and manicure tools are always at hand. But few of us ever think that such an ordinary location can cause irreversible harm to these items.
As a rule of thumb, makeup should be stored at room temperature — making the ever-changing temp in your bathroom (from sweltering when someone’s showering to cool when it’s not in use) not ideal. Perhaps this is just another reason you need that gorgeous vanity for your bedroom?
Don’t ruin your blade before you even put it to work: Store extras outside of the bathroom to avoid the steam and humidity dulling or rusting them prematurely. (Drying the razor you’re currently using in-between shaves is a good idea, too.) Or keep extra razors in a resealable plastic bag to block out the moisture.
You might don your favorite necklace or ring as soon as you step out of the shower, but don’t get in the habit of storing it in the bathroom when you’re not wearing it. Why? The humid environment will speed up the oxidation process and cause jewelry to tarnish faster. Opt for a cool, dry room for safe keepings instead.
Since bathrooms are one of the most common places in your home where mold and mildew grows, keep linens (which are susceptible to growth) far, far away. Or, you know, in a hall closet. Another tip? Run your exhaust fan as much as possible to help air out the space and dry damp towels post-shower.
If you want to extend the expected two-year life of your pretty polishes, don’t store ’em in the bathroom where the temperature is always changing. Instead, stash them at room temperature — and that means you shouldn’t put them in your fridge either.
Towels and robes
Nowadays we see photos where nicely folded towels are lying on open shelves in the bathroom and where robes that are hanging on hangers are very trendy. But if you decide to store them this way, you should forget about the nice touch of a clean, dry towel. All because your towels and robes will always be damp, which is the perfect environment for harboring bacteria. So, you’d betterfind another place in your house to store clean bath items.
- No matter how hot and dry your bathroom is, towels are always damp. That’s why I keep only those towels that we are using in the bathroom. The rest are kept in the drawer in the bedroom. It’s not hard for me to bring a stack of fresh towels to replace the dirty ones 2 times a week
Moreover, try to avoid drying used wet towels on a hook hanger. It’s better to place them in a well-aired room or on a special towel dryer.
- It’s only extra towels that can be stored folded or rolled. If you fold or roll a towel after you use it, it won’t dry and will start to smell bad! This option is possible only if you use a towel once and put it in the wash right after. But in this case, your life will be an eternal cycle of washing, drying, and folding towels nicely.
Manicure tools
No matter how good the quality of the steel is that your scissors, tweezers, and files are made of, sooner or later they will start to rust if you store them in the bathroom for a long time (even if you’ve never used them). After all, steam is also water.
Electrical appliances
“Where else, apart from the bathroom, can you store a hairdryer and an electric shaver?” you might wonder. It’s logical and convenient to use these items in this room. However, the steam and moisture greatly decrease the working life of electrical appliances. And it’s not just because this item can stop working if water or moisture gets inside, but it can also cause an electric shock if touched with wet hands.
Birth control pills
Just like many types of medicine, birth control pills are not supposed to be stored near humidity or heat. Even if they are in sealed packaging, they get spoiled quickly. Temperature fluctuations can change the chemical composition of the product. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised to see 2 stripes on your pregnancy test if you keep your pills in the bathroom. Any cabinet in the living room will suffice for storing medication.
Perfume
By this point, you’re probably wondering what you can store in the bathroom besides your shower gel and shampoo! Yes, perfume also needs to be kept away from the evil humidity and high temperature, as it will oxidise faster and ruin the scent.
Books
We all love a good read in the bath (it stops us reaching for our phones, which is always a bad idea). However, humidity can damage paper super quickly, so if it’s your favourite book, or a more pricey one that you didn’t pay 20p for in a car boot sale, keep it out.
