Showers are often the most relaxing part of our daily routines. But would showering be so relaxing if you knew there were hundreds of germs spraying all over you?
Your shower is used several times a day by everyone in your home. There are many germs that build up due to soap scum after continuous use. Even though no one touches the shower head, this doesn’t mean that it is not subject to bacteria as well. In fact, there are a lot of harmful pathogens that can be found in your showerhead.
A study conducted at the University of Colorado by Professor Norman Pace, tested 45 shower heads from homes and public buildings in nine U.S. cities. The study found a bug linked to lung disease was found in 30 percent of the showerheads that were tested.
Over time, scum and slime builds up in your showerhead. This slime protects germs from chlorine in the water meant to kill these germs. This creates a space for bugs and bacteria to continue to grow. So when you first turn on your showerhead, warm water isn’t the only thin being sprayed on you. While you think you are being cleaned, bacteria and possibly bugs are being sprayed all over your body.
Fortunately, there are ways you can keep your showerhead clean. In order to thoroughly clean your showerhead, remove the showerhead and soak it in vinegar overnight. The vinegar will breakdown the slime and gunk and will kill any germs or bacteria. Your showerhead should be cleaned four times per year.
While regularly cleaning your bathroom, don’t forget to clean the outside of your showerhead. This will reduce the chances of slime building up on your showerhead.
The study also found that metal showerheads contained far fewer pathogens than plastic showerheads. Consider installing a metal showerhead with a filter that can be changed regularly.
To avoid inhaling possible pathogens lurking in your showerhead, step outside the bathroom for one minute after turning on the shower. Most pathogens are released from the showerhead through the first burst of water.
With a simple showerhead change and these cleaning methods, you can keep your family clean and safe from bacteria and harmful pathogens.
