BATHROOMS – Why Routinely Disinfect the Walls?

When trying to maintain clean, germ-free bathrooms we immediately think of disinfecting the toilet, the tub and the shower; and most of us have trouble keeping up with those. We do not normally think about routinely disinfecting the walls and ceilings in bathrooms- but, we really should.
Allow me to share a few reasons why I believe these extra efforts are warranted:
1. The walls behind and next to the Toilet are constantly subjected to Bacteria contamination from toilet splash and over-spray (see Fig. 1)
2. The walls within 10-ft of the toilet are contaminated with Toilet Bacteria in aerosolized water droplets every time the toilet is flushed with the lid-up (see Fig. 2 & Fig. 3)
3. All bathroom walls and ceilings are subjected to aerosolized water droplets from the shower which contain:
a. Bacteria and Fungus in the tap water supplied by municipal water supplies (Fig. 4)
b. Bacteria that comes off our bodies during showering
To continue, we readily recognize mirrors, walls, windows and ceilings in bathrooms get visible “condensation’ on them when we shower. Most of us just did not realize how contaminated that condensation really is, as described above.
Detecting Contaminated Walls &Surfaces:
I performed a first-hand scientific inspection of a typical home bathroom using a Handheld UV Black Light (available on-line); photos of my findings are attached (see Figs. 5-8).
Disinfecting Walls and Ceilings:
Although our first instinct may be to go for the Bleach for disinfecting, it is not the best choice to disinfect typical painted walls and ceilings, as it tends to fade the color. In this case, Distilled White Vinegar may be a good choice for disinfection without bleaching the color of the paint.
Protecting Walls and Ceilings after Disinfection:
Painted surfaces or wall paper will tend to deteriorate from chemical attack or water-damaged from routine cleaning.
To protect my disinfected walls and ceilings I coat them with “Self-Cleen ST3” (also available on-line). It is a self-cleaning (EZ Cleaning) coating. This spray-on coating creates a water-proof protective barrier on painted surfaces and wallpaper to prevent deterioration and damage.