The bugs that lurk in your bathroom

It's meant to be the cleanest room in the house but it could be the most dangerous...

THE TOOTHBRUSH

If you share a toothbrush, you're asking for trouble. The bacteria which cause bad breath - and which may also trigger gum disease - can live on toothbrushes and can be passed on by sharing them. The fungal infection candida can also be spread by toothbrushes. Clean out toothbrush mugs regularly, to avoid germs building up inside.
What to do: change your toothbrush every four to six weeks and never share it.

THE SHOWER

The soap scum on shower curtains provides an ideal breeding ground for microbes such as sphingomonas and methylobacterium. Billions of organisms can build up on a single vinyl curtain, says Professor Norman Pace of the University of Colorado. When the shower is turned on, the water hitting the curtain throws up clouds of bacteria which can enter the lungs or open wounds on the body, and may be dangerous to anyone whose immune system is not at full strength. Stagnant water in a shower head can harbour legionella, which causes a form of pneumonia. What to do: Wash the shower curtain every day to minimise microbe build-up, or sterilise it once a fortnight - products such as Milton sterilising fluid are as effective as bleach but don't leave a harmful residue. Also, fresh air is vital. Ventilate the bathroom regularly to disperse the steam which encourages bugs and mildew to build up.

THE NON-SLIP BATH MAT

Growths of mould can quickly build up around the suckered feet which stick bath mats to the inside of the bath, and mould spores, released by running hot water into the bath, can rise in a cloud above the water and exacerbate respiratory infections. What to do: Put the bath mat into the washing machine, sterilise it with cleaning materials, or add essential oils with known anti-fungal qualities, such as ravensara or tea-tree oil, to the bath.

THE FLANNEL/SPONGE

These often harbour the bacteria staphylococcus aureus, which one in five of us carries on our skin. This is harmless unless it gets into a cut or wound, which could lead to infection. What to do: Wash your flannel or sponge at least once a week in boiling water.

RAZORS AND MAKE-UP BRUSHES

Staphylococcus aureus can also be found on these - and when mascara goes "off " (it begins to smell peculiar) it may contain bacteria which cause eye infections. What to do: Don't share a razor, wash make-up brushes regularly and don't use old make-up brushes on broken skin.

THE LAVATORY

Contrary to popular opinion, few germs are spread by sitting on lavatory seats, and urine carries no great risk of infection - hands spread far more disease and infection in the bathroom. Failing to wash your hands increases the risk of transmitting anything from cold and flu germs to food poisoning and hepatitis.

Thousands of SRSVs (Small Round Structured Viruses), a source of sickness and diarrhoea, may lurk in the lavatory bowl and can be ejected when you flush. It is worth lowering the lavatory lid when you flush to minimise the cloud of minute particles of faecal matter which can rise from the bowl. What to do: Disinfect the lavatory each day - the seat as well as the bowl. And always wash your hands after using the lavatory.

BARS OF SOAP

E coli, the bacteria which cause food poisoning, can build up on bars of soap, sinks and bathroom surfaces and can be spread by those who do not wash and dry their hands after using the lavatory. Similarly, gastroenteritis can be passed on via the flush handle of the lavatory by anyone who is infected. What to do: Clean bathroom surfaces regularly. And always wash and dry your hands, preferably with liquid soap from a soap dispenser, rather than a communal bar of soap.

DAMP TOWELS

Towels can become contaminated with bacteria shed from the skin or from body fluids in the bath water. Damp towels can contain dermatophytes, a fungal growth which may irritate the skin. If you have athlete's foot, avoid drying your feet first then continuing drying up the legs, as this can spread the infection to the groin area. Candida, a fungal infection, can also be spread by damp towels, and scabies, a mite infestation, can be spread by sharing towels.

What to do: Clean the bath out each time it is used, and dry towels out thoroughly after use, preferably by hanging them over a radiator. Wash towels at 60C, or add some anti-bacterial tea-tree oil to the wash to help kill micro-organisms at lower temperatures.