For obvious reasons, bathrooms are one of the important places in anyone's home. They also tend to be our messiest and dirtiest. Ironically, while they're a place where we get clean, by taking a bath and brushing our teeth, they're also an oasis for bacteria and other gross build-up. Ick. We can thank constant foot traffic as well as heat and humidity from the shower and honestly, the toilet for the shockingly gross amount of bacteria in there.
On top of that, we tend to keep things in our bathroom that we just don't really need. While we don't love the idea of throwing things out and creating a lot of waste, it is probably time for our bathroom to undergo a deep purge. After all, how long have we had that same toothbrush holder or that bottle of foundation in the back of our medicine cabinet?
Click ahead for a list of 17 items to purge in your bathroom right now. C'mon, our bathroom deserves a little TLC.
Loofah
Sure, loofahs feel good in the moment. These brightly colored fibers scrape off dead skin, leaving soft supple skin. However, we tend to keep these for way too long. According to Health, these babies have got to go after a month or risk fungi buildup.
Hotel Toiletries
We thought it was a good idea at the time, but taking hotel toiletries just results in cluttered medicine cabinets and shelves. Let's be real, some bottles have been sitting there for years. Clear them out by donating them — or just chuck them altogether.
Expired Medications
There's no reason to keep expired medication around. Toss out expired pills or any other medications and return the pill bottles to your local pharmacy. But make sure you check online first to see which medications can't just be thrown in the trash and need to go to a medical waste drop-off.
Toothbrush Holder
Toothbrush holders are breeding grounds for mold and yeast. In fact, a study from 2011 found our toothbrush holders to have more bacteria than our toilet seats have. Eww! So if our toothbrush holder is a few years old, it might be time to retire it.
Disposable Razors
When the blades sit in water, they rust, which causes bacteria to grow. Either allow them to dry or toss them.
Expired Sunscreen
The weather is warming up, which means it's time to check the expiration date on sunscreen! As in, yes, sunscreen does expire.
Toilet Brush
It's pretty obvious that our toilet brush is one of the dirtier parts of our bathroom, right? Turns out, we should be tossing that bad boy out every six months to a year — which probably means about NOW for most people.
Bath Mat
Take a closer look at the bath mat right now. Oof, right? Replace that baby every two years at least, Apartment Therapy recommends. Who knows what could be growing in there after all those years of stepping on it with wet feet?
Makeup Brushes
We know, it's not always easy to remember to wash our makeup brushes. Then suddenly we realize we've had the same blush brush for three years. It's time to replace our beloved brushes every two years.
Contact Lens Case
Our eyes are precious. Let's protect ours from infection by replacing our contacts lens case every month. Most stores sell them in multi-packs so it's a breeze to have extras on hand.
Towels
Is there a towel that has seen better days? If it's looking a little crusty and is a few years old, it's time to get rid of it or turn it into a rag. But, really, who needs that many rags? Animal shelters often need old towels.
Mascara
Mascara's shelf life is honestly shorter than we think. It lasts up to eight months after opening and even less if it's natural mascara, Popsugar reports. So, yes, that mascara that's been sitting there in your makeup case is probably ready to go.
Toothbrush
It's time to get rid of a toothbrush once the bristles are frayed and if it's older than three months. At this point, the toothbrush just isn't as effective at getting rid of plaque and may harbor bacteria.
Expired Acne Treatments
Here's a fun fact: acne treatments tend to expire quickly! Be sure to check the packaging on acne medications and toss accordingly. Keeping and using them any longer than that means they're not going to be as effective.
Soap Slivers
Tiny, used soap slivers taking up precious shower real estate? Either consolidate them into one bar or honestly, get rid of them. Who loves the feeling of having tiny slivers constantly slipping out of their hand anyways?
Clumpy Nail Polish
Nail polish goes bad after a few years and if kept in warm, sunny places. If a bottle of polish is looking rather clumpy, it might be worth throwing out.
Bath Toys
Go through old bath toys to ensure there's no mold growing in any crevices. If they're a little old, it's probably time to retire them. We don't want our little ones playing with mold!
