To wonder why people/it’s considered normal to keep toothbrushes in bathrooms?

[Exemptfromcontent]

Why is it considered normal for toothbrushes to be left in bathrooms, near toilets, poo particles just flying around. Even if everyone guest and children/husband remembers to put the lid down before flushing.. it’s still somewhere where people poo, why keep something you put in your mouth in there?!

Our toothbrushes live in the kitchen, I just load up with toothpaste, brush, then spit out in the bathroom, rinse toothbrush and return it to the kitchen.

AIBU to think in hindsight, the bathroom is a really weird unhygienic place to keep toothbrushes or am I being a bit germaphobey 🤣

We do, the children forget sometimes but that’s a learning curve.

Its more the thought that it’s a place where people empty bodily fluids, a place they take dirty bodies to shower/bath.. it just feels weird ti me to keep something I use in my mouth in there. I see the point with the whole salmonella thing in the kitchen, but we keep cutlery in the kitchen. I feel like keeping my toothbrush in the same room as a fork is better than the same room as a poo 🤣

Yes, towels are kept in the cupboard next to the bathroom and toilet roll is kept in the bathroom cabinet, excluding the one being used but that doesn’t go in anyone’s mouth an is used to wipe bums anyway😁

My electric toothbrush is plugged in, in my bedroom.

So you don't have toilet roll hanging on the wall? And there is never a towel hanging on the wall?

If you're worried about fecal matter in the air surely you wouldn't want it anywhere at all? It's super easy to run a toothbrush under the hot tap, but you'd have to change your towels every time you flush to avoid any chance of that, same with toilet roll, or it would have to be stored in the cabinet permanently.

Super easy to wipe fecal matter from a towel onto your hands and therefore transfer it into your mouth. Far bigger concern then a toothbrush which can easily be run undr a hot tap.

I am not saying any of this is an issue, because it isn't. Just saying that if you are worried about a toothbrush and not transference of fecal matter from a towel or toilet roll onto your fingers then it makes no sense.

I agree with you.

Google says it doesn't make a difference though.

There were some interesting images of how people injured themselves with toothbrushes that I would probably rather not have seen.

Mine are in the bathroom because that’s where the sink is. The heads are in a holder but even if not, I honestly wouldn’t worry about it. I never got sick from using a toothbrush that was in the same room as a toilet.

Kitchen just sounds inconvenient.

I wish I hadn’t googled about bacteria on toothbrushes now.. but it does say the bathroom being a warm moist area isn’t good, massive breeding ground for bacteria, putting a cap on toothbrushes is also a no-no as it can’t properly dry.

with what I’ve read, I’ll be keeping it in the kitchen🤢

There’s only a towel hanging on the wall during shower/bathtimes, never just hanging about.

Toilet roll does go in your mouth, it’s used to literally wipe our bums why would I be worried about bacteria on toilet paper?

Nah, just run it under the hot tap each time you use it, before and after, according to this site anyway.

And obviously always close the lid when flushing.

https://www.healthline dot com/health/dental-and-oral-health/how-to-clean-toothbrush#disinfecting-a-toothbrush

@Starconundrum Why would you compel me to Google that?! But no, it doesn't appear to make a difference.

No, it doesn’t, and that is exactly the point. Just like the other million and one pear clutching batshit things on here to do with ‘cleanliness’, absolutely none of it translates to adverse health outcomes. Honestly, the only people I’ve ever seen physically affected by lack of hygiene have been homeless people who are in heavily soiled clothes for weeks (as in they just go to the loo in their clothes, while passed out I suspect), but even that is confounded somewhat by poor diet, usually alcoholism, other illnesses etc. Also, the elderly and vulnerable who are stuck in bed, incontinent, bed sores etc. Contrary to the never ending Mumsnet hysteria, someone who showers once a week, and washes their bedding a few times a year, does not get sick in any way. Nor, with toilet brushes left in a bathroom.

My bad, I googled 'do people die from using tooth brushes'.

We probably got very different results 🤣

Oh I agree.

I think some people on Mumsnet clean their insides with a loofah.

I just thought this question was more interesting technically.

You're worried about the air being full of feces, the toilet roll is right next to the loo and it is sitting there soaking up fecal matter, the whole roll will have absorbed fecal matter. Every time you handle it you are handling fecal matter that has had time to multiply bacteria.

Old fecal matter is worse than new fecal mater because of increased pathogen load. In suitable conditions like a moist toilet environment, opportunistic pathogens can multiply, leading to a higher concentration of infectious agents compared to fresh feces.

As the fecal matter degrades and dries, particles and pathogens can be dispersed into the environment more easily, potentially contaminating surfaces, water sources, hands and making their way into the air.

If you have any skin cracks at all, around your bottom area or on your fingers, you are therefore rubbing pathogens from fecal matter into your skin when you use toilet roll, and rubbing it on your hands.

What's that you say - you wash your hands with hot water? Yes, just like you can do with your toothbrush.

And if you are really really bothered about this, you should change the towel every time you flush, because the fecal matter will be happily breeding pathogens and bacteria all over the towel each time you flush.

It's all or nothing. Either toilet roll and towels (which are harder to clean than a toothbrush) are also a health hazard in a toilet environment, or none of them are.

(Hint, none of them are).

I googled “how much bacteria is on my toothbrush from keeping it in the bathroom” 🤣

I just think it’s odd that it’s considered a normal place to keep it; but eating in the bathroom would be unhygienic and gross.. these are 2am thoughts though so I’m not looking for people to be offended by my toothbrush storing choices; or for people to insult those on MN who like to be a little extra with cleanliness. You don’t have to agree, that’s kind of the point but I don’t think anyone needs to be called hysterical for having a different opinion 🤷🏼‍♀️

“How many deaths or illnesses by contaminated toothbrushes do you know of? In my many decades, with all the poo particles flying about in everyone’s bathrooms, I’ve come across exactly zero incidents. So, guessing it’s because the general population are not infected with the hysteria you see commonly on Mumsnet?”

@HoppingPavlova has nailed it. We keep our toothbrushes in the bathroom cabinet.

Luckily, nobody's insulted you or acted offended, just pointed out that you're wrong.

I never assumed anyone would die from said particles on toothbrushes. Doesn’t mean I want poo particles on my toothbrush😅

I know that it’s (mostly) harmless; I’m speaking strictly from theory of why is it the normal place to keep it when people do defecate in the same room.

300 square feet? Our bathroom is 56 square feet, and a lot of the ones locally are closer to 25-30 square feet!

No but someone has made comment about how ‘hysterical’ mumsnetters are about hygiene .. in fact they sound quite hysterical about it themselves, ironically.

She's not entirely wrong though.

It doesn't matter.

So you can keep your toothbrush anywhere, bedroom kitchen or bathroom. Wherever you feel most comfortable.

And that's all ok.

This ☺️

Flush with lid down.
Toothbrushes kept in cabinet.

I have toothbrush covers from Tiger.

@Exemptfromcontent - but what makes you think there are poo particles flying round bathrooms and getting on toothbrushes? Because honestly if there were, i think people would regularly get rather ill from using their toothbrushes and that just doesn’t seem to be a thing.

Well i prssume if we have been doing it all our lives so far and none of us has come to any harm what is the issue, apart from ocd?