Why you shouldn’t store these 5 things in your bathroom

Varying temperatures and humidity can affect these common household items in adverse ways.

There are some things that just make sense to have in the bathroom: towels, soap and your toothbrush. You likely store quite a few other things there, too, like razors and makeup and even medications.

Not all of these should be stored in the same room – where you take hot showers, however. Here are five items you need to remove from your bathroom and keep elsewhere, according to some medical and beauty experts.

Medication

The medicine cabinet has traditionally been in the bathroom. Who hasn’t snooped in a friend’s medicine cabinet while washing their hands? But changes in humidity and heat can make your meds less effective or even expire sooner, according to Medlineplus.

Makeup and brushes

By now most people are aware that makeup brushes are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. Those germs are then transferred to your makeup and your face. That pesky heat and humidity in the bathroom help the bacteria grow faster. Cleaning your brushes regularly cuts down on contamination, but it’s also a good idea to store both your makeup and brushes in the bedroom for hygiene purposes, according to beauty site Byrdie.

Perfume

Heat and humidity can degrade a perfume’s fragrance. According to a spokesperson for Fragrance Direct, heat “breaks down the chemical bonds that give a perfume its scent. Direct heat is not only bad for the fragrance, but it can warp or melt plastic bottles, and even lower heat over the long term breaks down perfume.”

Razors

Dampness and humidity will dull a razor blade by causing the metal to oxidize and rust. Unless your razors are in airtight packaging, it’s best to keep them in a vanity or bedside table drawer.

Electronics

Humidity from hot showers can damage your cell phone, its charger, a radio and other electronic devices. If your electronics aren’t protected against moisture, you should move them out of the bathroom.