Experts reveal how often you should actually be cleaning your bath mat – 'it's a shocker'

Experts reveal the everyday bathroom item you're probably not cleaning as often as you should be – your bath mat.

Bath mats aren't only a bathroom decor idea, but serve in functionality even more so. Considering we use a bath mat almost every day, does it ever cross our minds just how much we really should be cleaning it? However, instead, it's often a commonly missed area when cleaning a bathroom.

Seeing as it's typically our first point of contact after getting out of the shower, therefore, we probably should be paying more attention to its cleanliness.  This is how often you actually should be cleaning your bath mat, according to experts.

How often should you wash bath mats

'How often you should wash your bath mat is entirely dependent on a few factors,' says Emily and Jonathon Attwood, founders of bed and bath specialists, scooms. 'Such as how often your bathroom is used, the material your mat is made of and how many people are in your household.'

According to Bathroom Deal's resident bathroom expert, Warren Kinloch, you should be cleaning your bath mat at least once a week.

'Bath mats are notoriously unsanitary and recent studies have even shown that most people will only wash them once or twice a year, leaving them completely covered in bacteria and with the potential to grow mould in the fibres.'

Lily Cameron, cleaning supervisor at Fantastic Services even goes on to recommend washing your bath mat even more frequently (every 3-4 days) if it gets wet frequently or your bathroom tends to stay damp for longer.

'In contrast, if your bath mat is made from a material that’s resistant to mould and mildew, such as synthetic rubber or PVC, you can wash it less frequently, for example, once every two weeks.'

Even if you're washing your bath mat regularly, Warren from Bathroom Deal urges us to ensure we're replacing them every year as it accumulates wear and tear. 

'If replacing them this often is too much of an expense, consider purchasing a wooden bath mat which will last much longer, doesn’t cling onto as much bacteria, and therefore doesn’t need to be cleaned as often.'

After heating, I know I'm guilty of not washing my bath mat as often as I should be, but hey, the more you know! Did you also learn something new today?