The 1 surprising bathroom storage habit that could make yours a breeding ground for toxic mold

As a moist and humid room, it's no surprise that your bathroom is a breeding ground for toxic mold. But did you know there's one surprising and common storage habit that could actually be worsening the problem?

In fact, say storage experts, keeping toilet paper in the same environment where we bathe and shower could actually pose a risk to both your hygiene and your home.

Here, they explain exactly why you might need to rethink your bathroom storage ideas.

Why does spare toilet paper not belong in the bathroom?

It's obvious when you think about it – toilet rolls are hugely absorbent by nature. This means, particularly in spaces in need of improved bathroom ventilation, after a hot shower or bath, these stacked spare rolls absorb any and all ambient moisture in the air.

Sarah Day, storage expert at Pay Less for Storage, explains, 'For many of us, it might seem the most practical and logical space to store spare toilet rolls is in the bathroom.

'However, contrary to popular belief, the bathroom is actually one of the worst places for long-term storage for additional rolls of paper other than the one currently in use.

'This is because damp and enclosed environments can quickly ruin tissue-based products, not only making them unusable but also contributing to hidden mold build-up.'

In particular, this issue is worsened if you prefer to buy your toilet rolls in bulk, where you might find yourself struggling to organize your home after bulk buying, and end up storing them on the floor.

Similarly, toilet rolls are one of the things not to store in a bathroom cabinet, as closed cupboards can trap moisture inside, further exacerbating the problem.

And, as Sarah mentions, once your toilet rolls are damp, and especially once they're moldy, they're no longer usable and may release common allergens into the air. Not only is this wasteful, it also makes them one of the surprising things secretly making allergies worse at home.

All of this might leave you wondering: Is bathroom mold dangerous? Importantly, the answer is yes, experts warn, particularly if you end up needing to get rid of black mold. For this reason, it's more than necessary to simply store your excess toilet roll elsewhere.

Where to store your toilet rolls instead

Toilet rolls are also items never to store in a bathroom vanity, so, advises Sarah, if you don't have a bathroom with proper ventilation, you're actually far better off keeping your spare toilet rolls in a dry airing cupboard or hallway cabinet, restocking the bathroom as when you need to.

This will also save space in your bathroom, streamlining your bathroom organization ideas, and make it easier to organize a family bathroom, too, crucially avoiding any unhygienic bathroom organizing mistakes.

Punteha van Terheyden, Head of Solved, says, 'We buy ours in big bulk packs of around 50 rolls, and keep just two or three spares in each of our three bathrooms. The rest of the toilet rolls are kept in a dry closet in the primary bedroom, in their original packaging.

'This reduces the risk of absorbent toilet paper, bundled up in big stacks and sitting in humid bathrooms, developing toxic mold colonies in the weeks,or even months it takes our household to use that volume of toilet tissue.'

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our expert

Sarah Day

Sarah is a storage solutions expert who specializes in helping clients, whether they’re moving house, decluttering ahead of downsizing, or looking for alternative storage solutions. She has been featured in Ideal Home, House Beautiful, and more.

If your toilet rolls have become home to flourishing mold, chances are you'll need to know how to clean mold in the shower, too. Then, you can prevent it returning in general by improving ventilation.