7 Common Things You Should Never Store in the Shower

Creating more space for storage in a small bathroom is never easy. And while it may be convenient to store things in and near the shower, the dampness and humidity is not so great for some stuff.

From loofahs to toothbrushes, here are seven common items that could be damaged or have their useful life cut short by being stored in the shower—so try to keep them out, no matter how space-deprived you might be.

It might seem silly to store your shaving razor anywhere other than your shower, but the truth is, you’re running the risk of rusting the blades by keeping them around all of that humidity. Instead, store your unused backup blades in a closet or pantry outside of your bathroom and dry the one you’re currently using off after each use and stash it somewhere other than your wet shower (like a suction cup holder stuck to the mirror).

Forget that loofahs are supposed to clean and gently exfoliate our skin, if you keep one in your shower, chances are it’ll make you dirtier than you were to begin with. Not only do your loofahs hold dead skin cells and dirt from your body, when stored inside a damp and muggy shower, bacteria starts to cultivate on them, too. Your best bet is to remove your loofah from your shower and dry it off immediately after use, to prevent more gross organisms from growing all over it.

Much like your loofah, wet soap bars, especially the slimy residue they leave behind, are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. So instead of storing your beloved soap bar sans a soap dish in your shower, make sure to rinse the soap bar off thoroughly after each use and store it someplace dry—where no moisture can germ it up—between uses.

Not only does the stuff you store in your shower stay moist around the clock; the air in your bathroom does, too. That’s why you should avoid keeping your clean towels in your bathroom to keep them fresh for longer, and make sure to hang up the one you’re currently using so it can dry completely—like on the shower curtain bar or the back of a door, and not on a hook or towel ring where they won’t dry out fully—between uses.

While it may seem like a smart idea to wash your face in the shower, you’re not doing your skin any favors. In fact, most skincare experts recommend washing your facing in lukewarm, not hot water, because too much heat and water can dry out your skin. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, you should always wash your face in your sink and not the hot shower, where you’re likely to exposed your skin to hotter water, for longer periods of time.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Keeping your toothbrush in the shower enables bacteria to thrive and grow all over it. Make sure you store yours in a dry place with good air circulation between uses, or else you’ll wind up washing your mouth out with gross germs every day.

• Is it Okay to Brush Your Teeth in the Shower?
• The Toothbrush Mistake You’re Probably Making

For as great as they smell, oily bath products, such as bath bombs and perfumed soaks, can mess with your pH levels and leave a hazardous oily residue behind for you to slip on. Do a little research and invest in less greasy bath goods, like oatmeal soaks and milk-based bath salts, to liven up your bath time without any dangerous results.