As a new parent, keeping your baby healthy often revolves around one central idea: cleanliness. You strive to keep your home spotless and ensure everything your baby touches is sanitary. However, some of the habits you believe are “clean” might actually be putting your baby at risk. In today’s post, we’ll reveal five commonly overlooked parenting habits that may be doing more harm than good. Keep reading to see if any of these “cleanliness” habits are secretly making your baby sick!
1. Hanging Your Baby’s Towels in the Bathroom to Dry
You probably think it’s convenient to hang your baby’s towel to dry in the bathroom, especially if you live in a dry climate where you expect it to dry quickly. But did you know this practice can actually make your towels dirtier?
Towels, especially the fluffy, soft cotton ones, are made of loops that can trap bacteria from the surrounding air. In the damp, bacteria-laden environment of the bathroom, these towels become prime breeding grounds for germs. Flushing the toilet, for example, sends viruses and bacteria into the air, further contaminating the space. Worse yet, when adult and baby towels are hung together, germs can easily transfer from adult towels to your baby’s. 
What You Can Do: To keep your baby’s towels clean, dry them outside or in a dryer instead of leaving them damp in the bathroom. Also, wash adult towels every 2-3 days and replace them every 3-6 months to reduce bacterial transfer.
2. Using a Basin of Water to Wash Your Baby’s Bottom
It might seem like a good idea to wash your baby’s bottom with a basin of water, but this habit actually promotes bacterial growth. When water comes into contact with feces, it becomes contaminated. If you continue to reuse the same basin without proper cleaning, harmful bacteria and viruses could spread back onto your baby’s skin.
What You Can Do: Always use running water to wash your baby’s bottom. If you must use a basin, ensure it is cleaned thoroughly after each use, and never reuse water from a previous wash.
3. Using Restaurant Napkins to Wipe Your Baby’s Mouth
We’ve all been there: eating out with your baby and wiping their face and hands with a restaurant napkin. But did you know that many restaurant napkins aren’t as clean as they seem? Some restaurants use low-quality napkins, which may even be made from recycled materials like toilet paper, potentially exposing your baby to harmful chemicals or germs.
What You Can Do: Check the hygiene standards of the napkins before using them, or better yet, bring your own clean napkins when dining out with your baby.
4. Using Public Restroom Hand Soap for Your Baby
While washing your hands after using the bathroom is a must, did you know that public restroom hand soap may be loaded with germs? Many public restrooms use large refillable soap dispensers that aren’t cleaned regularly. In fact, some businesses dilute their hand soap with water, which speeds up the growth of bacteria. Studies show that bacteria in public soap dispensers can exceed safety limits by up to 600 times!
What You Can Do: Carry your own hand soap or use running water for at least 40 seconds to effectively clean your hands without risking exposure to contaminated soap.
5. Using Hand Dryers in Public Restrooms to Dry Your Baby’s Hands
After washing your hands in a public restroom, you may be tempted to use the hand dryer to dry your baby’s hands. However, this could be making things worse. Hand dryers work by blowing air from the surrounding environment, which includes bacteria-filled bathroom air.
Studies have shown that hand dryers can actually increase the bacteria on your hands. In fact, one study found that bacteria grew 18 to 60 times more on petri dishes exposed to hand dryer air compared to those that weren’t.
What You Can Do: Avoid using public hand dryers for yourself or your baby. Instead, bring a clean towel with you or use paper towels to dry hands safely.
