8 things you should never ever keep in your bathroom

The bathroom may be the hub of your morning routine, but keeping all your AM essentials in the medicine cabinet might not actually be the best move. Turns out a bunch of the items we use on a daily basis may be damaged by a bathroom's warm, wet environment. Click through the slideshow to find out what needs relocating, stat.

Toothbrushes

If there's one thing that everyone keeps in the bathroom, it's a toothbrush. But scientists say you do so at your own risk, especially if you've got roommates. Researchers from Quinnipiac University found fecal matter on 60% of toothbrushes kept in shared bathrooms, regardless of how the toothbrush was stored. And flushing with the toilet lid down won't necessarily save you from expelled bacteria. Using a toothbrush cover promotes bacteria growth because it doesn't allow the brush to dry out in between uses—so you're out of luck there, too. As ridiculous as it sounds, it's best to let your brush air-dry in another room of the house.

Birth control

The fluctuating heat and humidity in the bathroom can make your birth control, as well as other meds like cold and flu capsules and ibuprofen, less potent and may even cause them to go bad before the expiration date. Reserve that storage space for Band-Aids and toothpaste instead. And keep your medicine in a cool, dry place—like a dresser drawer or a kitchen cabinet away from the stove, sink and hot appliances.

Extra razor blades 

The humid environment can cause the metal blades to oxidise and rust before you even get to use them. Unless they're sealed in an airtight package, find a new place to stash your shaving equipment.

Makeup

Keeping your makeup in the bathroom may be convenient, but it won't last very long if you do. Heat and humidity will degrade your favourites. Keep them in a cool, dry spot instead.

Makeup brushes

Makeup brushes kept out in the open are also susceptible to germs that spray out from the toilet when you flush. But even if you keep them inside a drawer, they still won't do well in the bathroom's humid environment. The moisture in the air helps bacteria flourish and may even cause mould to grow on brushes. Stash them in the bedroom instead.

Perfumes

Your favourite fragrance could turn to a rancid stench if kept in the bathroom for too long. The high spikes in temperature caused by steamy showers will make perfumes go sour quickly. You're better off keeping them in a drawer or on a shelf in your bedroom—somewhere out of direct sunlight where the temperature is relatively constant.

Condoms

The medicine cabinet may seem like a discreet, convenient place to store condoms, but they're better off in your bedside drawer. Exposure to heat and moisture can damage them over time, lowering their effectiveness.

Jewellery

Like razor blades, your jewellery can be negatively affected by moisture in the air. Cheap stuff with metal fastenings may begin to rust, and real silver will tarnish more quickly than it would if kept in a closed box in another room.