With bathrooms being one of the most frequently used rooms in the house it stands to reason that they need regular cleaning, so we’re here to share our top tips on how to keep your bathroom, ensuites and cloakrooms looking their best. As well as wanting your bathroom to look great, it’s also important from a hygiene viewpoint as well, as there are all sorts of bugs and germs which can linger around toilets, basins and drains.
Without further ado, read the rest of the blog to find out how to keep germs at bay, minimise your cleaning efforts with clever product choices and discover the most unhygienic item in your bathroom …
There are lots of ways to keep your bathroom looking spick and span.
Think smarter with bathroom-ware
While the obvious thing you might think of when it comes to keeping your bathroom clean is the actual cleaning process itself, there are things you can do before you get to this stage. Basically, it all comes down to the bathroom-ware you decide to install in your home. With lots of innovative product designs available, you might just be surprised at what’s out there to help keep your bathroom sanitary and safe – as well as looking good.
Showers: Many of our shower enclosures and screens now come with Easy-clean glass, which means that one side of the glass (facing into the shower) has a special coating which prevents dirt and residue from adhering to the surface. As a result, water and grime slides off easily, keeping the glass clear for longer and minimising the amount of cleaning you have to do. Of course, you do still need to clean the screen, but Easy-clean glass is a more hygienic solution and will make your life easier, into the bargain.
Floating furniture: Make the job of cleaning easier by installing wall-hung or floating furniture, such as toilets and vanities. By lifting the furniture off the floor, you can easily clean underneath without any nooks and crannies to grapple with. Using wall-mounted heated towel rails and radiators are also a good option instead of floorstanding radiators which give you more to clean around.
Fully back-to-wall toilets, meanwhile, are fitted flush against the wall, so you don’t have to clean behind them, while flush-to-the-floor freestanding baths sit on the floor so, again, you won’t have to clean under them.
Wall-hung vanity units make it easy to clean underneath.
Toilets: Aside from back-to-wall toilet designs, you can also opt for rimless toilets, which are much more hygienic as they don’t have a rim for bacteria to linger under. The rimless aesthetic also just makes the act of cleaning easier. Shower toilets, also known as Japanese-style toilets, which incorporate a bidet are also a great idea, as they can combine a rimless design with technology including a HyperClean glaze coating which prevents germs from forming.
Lever-style taps like the Eliseo Ricci Curve Mono Basin Mixer can be more hygienic options.
Taps: Using lever-style taps is also more hygienic, as these can be operated using forearms and elbows, so you don’t actually have to touch them with your hands.
Consider soft furnishings such as bath-mats and rugs: It’s best not to use thick bathroom rugs – something lightweight which is fast-drying and doesn’t hold in moisture is better for bathrooms. It’s also important to wash them regularly, whatever style you have.
Monitor humidity: Installing good ventilation and using underfloor heating will help dry out your bathroom more quickly. You can also have in-built demister pads in your mirrors and mirrored cabinets, which heat the glass to prevent fogging and again, reduce moisture in the room. Basically, the less moisture, the less risk of mould and mildew.
NB Keeping your bathroom as dry as possible is key – heated towel rails and radiators will also help with this. Check out our blog on How to eliminate condensation from your bathroom if you have this issue.
Dry out your bathroom by:
- Installing ventilation e.g. vents and extractor fans or, at least, by having windows you can open.
- Installing underfloor heating.
- Choosing mirrors and cabinets with built-in demister pads.
- Rubbing down shower enclosures, tiles and other surfaces after use to remove moisture.
Choosing gloss tiles instead of matt finishes will make cleaning easier.
Tiling: Minimise grout-cleaning by using rectified tiles which require minimal grouting and are easier to keep clean. NB When cleaning grout, you can scrub this with bleach, remembering to rinse well afterwards.
Also, go for gloss tiles rather than matt if you want easy clean options. Matt finishes are good for non-slip features but can trap dirt more easily and need careful and regular cleaning.
Storage: Good storage for toiletries will keep things looking neat and tidy in your bathroom and give you fewer items to clean, as well as preventing germs from toilets, for example, getting onto them.
Top bathroom cleaning tips
As well as choosing more hygienic bathroom-ware, the cleaning of this and the rest of the space is, of course, also important. Here are some of our top tips on keeping things clean:
- Descale your showerhead, using white vinegar – you can fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and leave it to soak overnight, then remove it in the morning, rinsing the showerhead through afterwards with hot water.
- Scrub out your bath once a week and remove any limescale which has built up on bath and basin taps (see our blog on How to remove limescale from taps for more information).
- Spray countertops, walls and ceiling with a cleaning spray and then turn on the shower to steam up the room. Leave for about 20 minutes for the spray and steam to mix and then wipe down to remove dirt and the build-up of skin cells etc.
- It goes without saying that you should always close the toilet seat before flushing, to prevent germs from going everywhere. When it comes to cleaning the toilet, you can do a deep clean with white vinegar and baking soda or use toilet cleaning products. (See our blog on How to unblock a toilet for deep-cleaning tips).
- • Bathroom basins are actually the highest risk area for germs, even ahead of the toilet. You can put white vinegar and baking soda down the drain for an effective quick clean, flushing it through with hot water.
Make sure to clean your basin regularly, as they harbour germs.
Top tip: Always remember – you need to pre-clean surfaces before you disinfect them and then leave the disinfectant on for the required amount of time, for it to do its job.
Hopefully we’ve given you some fresh inspiration when it comes to keeping your bathroom clean – and in being creative with the furniture you use within it. If you need any help choosing new bathroom-ware for your home, then you can view our extensive range of products online or in-store at your nearest showroom.
For bathroom furniture inspiration visit our website at bathshack.com.