Your bathroom taps could be hosting an array of nasty germs (Image: Getty)
It’s a well-known fact that are often one of the least hygienic rooms in the whole house, and for this reason, they require a bit more cleaning than other places.
Bathrooms are infested with germs, the most common types being , salmonella, streptococcus, and of course bacteroidaceae – also known as fecal bacteria.
Failure to keep bathrooms can lead to health issues such as severe gastrointestinal distress, fever, fatigue and skin conditions.
But while most people might dedicate one day a week to tackle all of the jobs in the bathroom, there are certain areas that should be scrubbed down a lot more frequently.
And bathroom taps are one of these – especially when it comes to the handles.
Because we touch our bathroom taps a lot, they require more cleaning than you might think (Image: Getty)
The experts at say that the bathroom tap handles are one of the bathroom’s dirtiest areas, so they need to be cleaned often.
They said: “Bathroom tap handles are regularly touched with unwashed hands, so they can easily become covered in germs and bacteria. One of the quickest ways for Norovirus to spread is through contaminated surfaces, therefore it is crucial to keep this area as clean as possible.
“Gram-positive Rods, associated with a range of infections, are represented by nearly 95% of germs found on tap handles.
“Taps are touched before and after washing hands, therefore, germs are transferred very frequently.
“They have been found to contain a whopping 6,267 counts of bacteria per square inch, which is even more than found in the basin itself.”
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How you clean your bathroom taps will depend on what they’re made out of, according to the experts at .
So if you have any doubts, make sure to check with the manufacturer.
Certain cleaning solutions are abrasive and can scratch or damage your taps, but a gentle solution such as soapy water works to clean your taps effectively but all the while not harming the material.
To clean your bathroom taps safely, mix a few drops of liquid soap with warm water in a jug, and gently pour half of it over one of your tap handles.
Taking a soft microfiber cloth, dip it into the rest of the soapy mix and wring out before rubbing the tap in gentle circular motions, cleaning from top to bottom.
Then rinse the tap all over with a clear warm water to wash away any soap residue leftover.
Use another microfiber cloth to gently dry the tap to ensure no watermarks are left behind, and then repeat for the other handle.