How Not To Embarrass People Who Use Your Bathroom

SANITANA-MUNIQUE TOILET DESIGN.

Everybody who is human has an embarrassing bathroom incident. Take pity on your guests, and make sure that theirs doesn't happen on your watch, in your home.

1. Have Lots of Toilet Paper Back Up: If you’ve ever had to call out a request for more toilet paper from inside the bathroom, you know that it’s not high on your list of pleasurable experiences — especially if you don’t know your host well. It isn't as bad as, say, getting locking outside the house while naked, but it’s still not too much fun.

2. Have Citrus Spray or Matches Handy: To get rid of Hydrogen Sulphide, which causes unpleasant smell in the bathroom/toilet, matches or citrus spray should be made available. Just know this is one of the most basic things you can do to avoid embarrassing your guest using your toilet, and is always appreciated.

3. Hide Anything You Don’t Want Them to See: This is for your own good, as well as theirs. You don't want to be having a conversation with someone, knowing the whole time that they are thinking, "I've seen your pregnancy test sticks."

4. Clean and Especially “Boy Clean” Your Bathroom: Sometimes the ladies who don’t live with boys forget that stuff winds up underneath the toilet seat. If you do a quick wipe down, remember that visiting males lift up the seat when they go, and don’t want to be looking at…well, you know.

5. Provide a Trashcan: No one should have to smuggle out unsightly and/or embarrassing trash.

6. Offer Up Some White Noise: There’s nothing worse than asking where the bathroom is, and realizing it’s right next to the room where your host and/or other guests are hanging out. Nothing is louder than silence when you are sitting on the toilet mere feet from a crowd of people, with only a thin piece of wood separating you. Inevitably, there’s also usually a two-inch gap between the door and floor. Throw in a broken bathroom fan, and you have the potential for noise room leakage. If it’s your bathroom, take pity on your bathroom-goer and either play some music, or make loud conversation while they are gone.

7. Make Sure There's a Plunger in There Somewhere: Because even worse than having to ask for toilet paper is having to request a plunger.

Bonus Points: If you want to win the award for bathroom host of the century, provide emergency supplies for women who are having their lady times.

So, tell us. What's essential for your emotional well-being and psychological comfort when using another person's bathroom in their home? Or, if you dare, what the worst and most embarrassing incident you've ever experienced?

8. Really Gross Mistakes You      Make in the Bathroom.

By now, you're probably on autopilot when it comes to your bathroom routine. But are your ingrained habits the cleanest ones? Take care to make sure you're not making these icky missteps.

1. You don't shut the toilet lid when you flush.
In a recent Scrubbing Bubbles survey, 60% of respondents indicated that they skip this important hygienic habit. And this is a big deal: If you leave the lid up when you flush, germy water particles (and, err, whatever else is in the toilet) can spray across the room — up to six feet away from the toilet. This fact was first discussed in a 1975 study completed by germ expert Dr. Charles Gerba, and has been proven time and again. He and his team found that bacteria can linger in the air long enough to settle in a filthy film all around the room — so make sure everyone in your household is on-board with a lid-down flushing protocol.

2. You store your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.

You might think this a clever way to keep toilet bacteria from reaching your brush, but you could be trading one ill-advised move for another. Trapped in a cabinet or container, your brush may not be able to dry between uses, creating a welcome environment for bacteria. The American Dental Association recommends storing toothbrushes in an upright position, and not touching other brushes, to mitigate the risk of cross-contamination. And shut that toilet lid!

3. You leave your makeup and brushes out on the counter.
Anything you apply to your face should be kept out of the path of toilet germs, too. Plus, if you store your makeup in your bathroom, the room's moisture can make it even more susceptible to bacteria growth. Keep beauty supplies out of grime's way in drawers or boxes, and clean brushes and replace makeup as necessary.

4. You use your loofah for way too long.
Bacteria just loves breeding on these fluffy mesh shower staples, which are designed to hold-in soap and water to help you lather up. Toss them every three to four weeks.

5. You let your towels dry on hooks.

Laundering your bath towels after every three uses is a good rule of thumb, but only if you hang them spread out to dry on a towel bar. If you hang them on hooks, moisture (and any excess soap that's collected) can stay trapped between the folds, which could lead to mildew and bacteria growth.

6. You never run the fan.
If you haven't already figured out, bathroom moisture can cause a host of yucky issues. So run the fan (or open a window) while you shower and for 15 to 20 minutes afterward.

7. You never clean the shower curtain.
The Scrubbing Bubbles survey also revealed that 42% of their respondents neglect this unassuming item. Feeling lazy about scrubbing residue away? Good news: You can often toss shower curtains in the washing machine. To keep mildew at bay for longer, pull the curtain across your tub (not scrunched to one side) between showers so it can air dry thoroughly.

8. You use your cell phone in the bathroom.

If you catch-up on Instagram or go a few rounds in Candy Crush while sitting on the toilet, consider this: Anything you take into the bathroom can get contaminated with lingering germs or fecal matter (16% of cell phones have it, according to a 2011 study). And even if you wash your hands after every bathroom break, we're guessing you don't also disinfect your phone … and then you put it to your face when your mom calls later on.