11 Bathroom Essentials Every Home Should Have

Considering how much time most people spend in their bathrooms, one can say that it’s one of the most important parts of every home. Your bathroom is not just a place for showering, washing your face, or putting on makeup. It’s also a sanctuary where you unwind at the end of the day and wash off all the day’s worries and anxieties.

Your bathroom may be tiny, but it’s packed with essentials that make your hygiene and grooming routine convenient for you. Of course, it’s your duty to replenish or replace these essentials when they run out or get broken. That said, here are 13 bathroom essentials, from bathroom organizers to efficient fixtures, that every home should have

Microfiber Towels

Most people commonly use cotton towels for bathing or wiping their hands, but microfiber towels are the better choice when it comes to your bathroom needs. When it comes to texture, microfiber towels are soft and plush, unlike average cotton towels, which are coarse and scratchy. Individually, microfiber strands are weak, but microfiber cloths are woven tightly into a secure, lightweight sheet, which gives them a durable quality.

Most of all, microfiber towels dry faster than ordinary cotton does and can absorb more water about seven times their weight. Microfiber towels are low-maintenance too. They can be washed through a normal cycle using ordinary detergent and will keep their size and shape in the dryer.

Don’t stop at towels too. Microfiber cloth is the ultimate cleaning tool as it catches microbes, minimizes the use of chemicals and water, and prevents lint from getting on surfaces.

Wicker Baskets

Aesthetically pleasing and functional, wicker baskets are a fusion of decor and organizer, which make them perfect for home use. Organize your bathroom cabinets or shelves using wicker baskets.

Use them to store your clean towels, toilet papers, bath products, makeup, and dirty laundry. Or pin them directly on the bathroom wall to function as shelves for your toiletries and other bathroom essentials. Wicker baskets are durable, and they come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, so you’re sure to find some that will fit your bathroom aesthetics.

Trash Can

A trash can is a must-have in every bathroom (and every room in the house). Where else are you going to throw your used tissue, Q-tips, and the clumps of hair you collected from your shower drain?

Some people who are too lazy to get a trash can in their bathroom would just flush it all down the toilet, but you shouldn’t do that unless you’re prepared to deal with a clogged toilet. Getting a trash can for your bathroom will cost you less trouble and money.

Nonslip Bath Mat

Bathroom floors can get slippery when they’re wet. So if you want to avoid slipping and breaking your neck, place a nonslip mat on the bath and the floor. Nonslip bath mats come in many colors, shapes, sizes, and designs, so you can choose ones that go well with your decor.

There are mats made from cotton with nonslip backing, so your feet can stay warm and comfortable while you do your business. If you want better water absorption, you can get synthetic rugs, made from polyester chenille, which also dries faster than ordinary cotton mats do. Or you can use a bamboo bath mat for a sleek look and sturdy feel.

Shower Caddy

Showering is faster and more convenient when you have all the bath products you need within your arm’s reach. You don’t have to install a permanent organizer on your shower to have this. Just get a shower caddy, which you can simply hang on the showerhead for easy access to your favorite shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner while you take a bath.

A shower caddy usually comes with multiple tiers so that you can store more items. Some caddies also have a mirror, so you can shave, wash your face, or apply a spot cream in the shower if you want to.

Reed Diffuser

Bathrooms can get smelly; that’s a fact. Airing out the room after use can get rid of most stinky odors, but why not go the extra mile and keep your bathroom smelling good? That’s easy to achieve with a reed diffuser.

Unlike aroma diffusers, reed diffusers don’t need electricity to add fragrance to the room. The diffuser reeds simply soak up the essential oil in the bottle and spread the scent in the room in a slow, subtle way, so you don’t sneeze up a storm every time you enter your bathroom.

Energy-Saving Exhaust Fan

As mentioned earlier, ventilating after use can get rid of most foul odors in your bathroom, but that’s not the only reason it needs to be done. Bathrooms easily grow mold because moisture and humidity are abundant in the area. Moisture and mold can have adverse effects on people’s health, especially those who are immunocompromised or vulnerable.

That’s why it’s recommended to turn on your bathroom’s exhaust fan while using the room and to leave it on for at least 15 minutes after showering to help the room dry faster. Most exhaust fans don’t consume a lot of electricity, but energy-saving fans consume even less, so you can save more on your bill when you opt for one.

LED Lamps

Good lighting is essential in every bathroom. For one, it helps you avoid injuries or missing a spot when you’re shaving or doing your makeup. And good lighting is also key to making a tiny space look spacious and airy.

That said, light emitting diode (LED) lamps are the ideal lighting choices. You don’t have to worry about using several bulbs as an average LED bulb, with 700 lumens, can only consume about 10 watts, as compared to commonly used incandescent lights, which consume up to 60 watts.

Ninety percent of the energy used by traditional incandescent bulbs is wasted and just given off as heat, so you’re effectively wasting money when you use one. If that’s not enough to convince you, LED lamps also last up to 15 to 25 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs do.

Low-Flow Faucets and Showerhead

The bathroom is where you use the most water in the house. You can cut down on your water use by replacing your standard faucets and showerhead with low-flow fixtures. A regular faucet uses about 2.2 gallons of water per minute (gpm), but you reduce that by installing a low-flow aerator and cut down the water use to 0.5 gpm.

Standard showerheads also use much more water than needed, usually at 2.5 to 4 gpm. With a water-efficient showerhead, you can reduce it to 2 gpm and save money on your water bill too.

Macerating Toilet

Old toilets are also one of the biggest water wasters in many households. Non-water-efficient toilets consume as much as 3 to 7 gallons of water in a single flush, and that doesn’t even do anything to prevent your toilet from clogging.

On the other hand, water-efficient toilets, like the macerating SaniPlus toilet, use only 1 to 1.3 gallons of water. The macerating toilet also has a built-in motor grinder to further breakdown wastewater and facilitate smoother drainage, preventing toilet clogs.

Nontoxic Cleaners

Bathrooms see a lot of hard-to-clean mess, like mold, mildew, mineral buildups, and residue stains. Cleaning these is made easier with the right products. There many effective cleaning products available in the market, but not all of them are safe for humans, pets, and the environment.

Some cleaners used in many households contain cancer-causing chemicals, like formaldehyde, thiourea, and perchloroethylene. When buying a cleaning product, check the ingredients list to make sure it doesn’t have harmful chemicals. Or use this guide to healthy cleaning by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization advocating for healthy and eco-friendly product choices, to find safe cleaning alternatives.

Final Takeaway

There’s not a day that goes by that you don’t use your bathroom. Showering, grooming, or relaxing—you need several things to do complete hygiene tasks. From microfiber towels and bathroom organizers to efficient water fixtures and nontoxic cleaning bathroom, these essentials make your everyday bathroom routine more convenient, efficient, and safe.

Feature Image Souce: PXHERE