Most people enjoy a clean home — yet most people dread cleaning the bathroom. Whether you hate this task because of the dirty floors, the clogged toilet or scum in the shower, you’re not alone.
The good news is, bathroom cleaning can be less of a chore. Whether you’re talking about daily habits to simplify your routine or DIY recipes for effective cleaning products, here are eight hacks that can make cleaning the bathroom a little easier.
1. Set up a cleaning station.
One of the best ways to keep the bathroom clean is to prepare. Rather than storing all your regular cleaning products — cloths, scrub brushes, spray bottles, etc. — in another place in your home, set up a cleaning caddy under the sink or in a cabinet. When cleaning tools are within reach, they’re easier to use day after day.2. Shine your faucets with baby oil.
Simple, everyday tasks such as washing your face, washing your hands and brushing your teeth can cover your sink with water spots in no time. While water spots aren’t a big deal, they are evidence that your bathroom hasn’t been cleaned in a while. More than that, they tend to make a sink look dingy. What should you do? Simply dab a cloth with baby oil and rub it onto your faucet. This allows you to remove spots and unveil a sparkling shine. 3. Say goodbye to soap scum with a dryer sheet.
Is your shower covered in scum from daily use? If so, here’s a trick that might surprise you: Take a dryer sheet, and wipe it all over the shower walls and doors. If one sheet doesn’t remove the scum, wet another, scrub, and keep rinsing and repeating until the scum is gone. Once the surfaces are scum-free, be sure to rinse them well to finish. 4. Combine vinegar and water for a strong DIY cleaner.
Skip the fancy (and expensive) bathroom cleaning products. Instead, combine equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture onto bathroom tiles and grout, the surface of your tub and other surfaces that need to be cleaned. Let them dry completely and rinse the dirt. 5. When in doubt, try baking soda.
For especially tough spots or stains, combine water and baking soda, and scrub the area with an old toothbrush. This easy, natural cleaning solution can be strong enough for even the toughest black spots. 6. Scrub the tub with grapefruit.
Cut a grapefruit in half and sprinkle the cut side of one half with salt. Wet the tub and use the salted grapefruit to scrub the surfaces. Combined, the juice and the salt will help break down scum and dirt. When you’re done, rinse the tub thoroughly and enjoy the bright, fresh citrus smell the cleaner provided. 7. Unclog a drain with a simple trick.
Anyone with long hair or a high-traffic bathroom knows the frustration of a clogged drain. The next time your sink or shower is clogged, drop one or two Alka-Seltzer® tablets down the drain. Then, pour a cup of white vinegar into the drain. Wait for a few minutes to let this soak. Afterward, pour boiling water down the drain. Your water should be free-flowing again! 8. Remove the mildew smell from towels with hot water and vinegar.
There’s nothing like the smell of mildew on your bathroom towels. When yours have sat in moisture too long and pick up the notorious odor, here’s what to do: Soak them in the hottest possible water, with a cup of vinegar. Afterward, run them through the washing machine. Use an extra rinse cycle if your machine has the option. Then, let your towels air-dry. If they still have a slight odor, repeat the process.
No matter why you dislike cleaning the bathroom, you can make the job a little less burdensome by employing the right cleaning hacks. Use the eight ideas above to scour the tub, clean up scum or remove mildew faster and more effectively.
When it’s more than cleaning that you’re after, and you’re renovating a bathroom and looking for new fixtures, come to Modern Bathroom. Our site offers the best in factory-direct pricing for bathroom products of all kinds. Browse our online catalog to see for yourself!
There are a lot of reasons why you might want to remodel your bathroom. Maybe your home was built in the ’70s and you can’t take another day of avocado-green countertops. Perhaps you want to expand your shower, so you don’t feel like you’re showering on a submarine. Maybe you want to add some storage so you can end all your family’s arguments about whose toothbrush goes where. Remodeling your bathroom for any and all of these reasons can enhance your quality of life significantly. Though perhaps the most important reason to remodel your bathroom is to make it safer. You may have a relative who’s beginning to slow down in his or her older age, or you may have someone in your home with disabilities for whom everyday tasks are a little more difficult. Even if you don’t, the average bathroom has a number of areas where a few adjustments can reduce the risk of injuries. If you’re considering a bathroom makeover, here are some suggestions for changes you can make to help ensure your remodeled bathroom will be safer.
Handrails
Some of the most obvious items you can add to your bathroom remodel project to make your bathroom safer are handrails. By installing handrails in the shower, in the bathtub and around toilets, you can make it easier for your family to get in and out and reduce the risk of falling. Handrails also provide elderly people with added stability when showering.
Slip-Free Surfaces
Water plus smooth surfaces can be a recipe for disaster — and one that’s found in many bathrooms. Adding slip-free mats or resurfacing bathtubs or showers to create slip-resistant textures can make it much safer for people of all abilities to use the bathroom. These surfaces can range from bath mats and rugs used outside of the tub; to mats that use suction cups to stick to the tub; to tubs specifically manufactured with slip-free surfaces.
Accessible Fixtures and Furniture
Most bathroom fixtures and furniture are designed with the average person in mind, which may make them difficult for people with disabilities or elderly people to use safely. If you’re remodeling your bathroom with the safety of your loved ones in mind, there are plenty of options for accessible fixtures and furniture. For example, accessible toilets are available that offer raised seating to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to get on and off them. Sinks and vanities that are built lower to the floor also are safer for many people with disabilities to use because they don’t require them to stand or reach up to use them. Faucets and spigots that feature easy-to-use handles reduce the risk of injuries. Additionally, valves with simple-to-read controls reduce the risk that someone will scald himself or herself.
Wider Doorways
If you’re remodeling your bathroom with safety in mind, consider widening the doorway. In addition to making a bathroom much more accessible to someone who uses a wheelchair, it reduces the chances that someone could stumble and fall when going to the bathroom at night.
Night Lights
Getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night can create a dangerous situation for many people — especially for those with disabilities. Adding night lights to your bathroom or the hallway outside can make it easier for people to find their way in the dark. Lighted light switches are another worthwhile idea for making the bathroom more accessible.
There are so many reasons to remodel your bathroom, and improving the safety for your loved ones should be right up there with them. Follow these ideas for adding some safety features to your bathroom. Your remodeling project will make your bathroom a safer — as well as nicer — place for everyone in your home.
If you think a bathroom is just a utilitarian space, think again! In today’s homes, bathrooms have become beautiful spaces where you can showcase your style. Whether you like a traditional look or lean toward more contemporary design, you can have fun in the bathroom while also making it a reflection of your tastes. How do you design a fun bathroom where you love to spend time? To help answer this question, here are some creative tips/tricks for your bathroom, so you can make it the perfect place for you:1. Be daring.
If you’re the type of person who typically shies away from bold choices in your home decor, the bathroom is the perfect place to let loose. Small and contained, it’s just the right testing ground for a bold paint color, a modern wallpaper, a patterned tile or another option you’d typically forgo. Find a strong statement feature that you love and use it confidently — with pleasure! 2. Add a little color.
Even if you like, for example, the timeless appeal of a white bathroom, you can still give that look your own spin with a pop of color. Paint the walls a blue pastel to tiptoe into the color world. Or, choose accessories in a bold red if you’re ready to take the plunge. Alternatively, you can always swap out the rugs and towels with the seasons — or choose a bathroom-friendly rug that ties the room together. Whatever the case, incorporating a color you love instantly reflects your personality in your bathroom. 3. Upgrade the room’s fixtures.
If color isn’t for you, you might prefer taking your pick of sink, tub and/or light fixtures to upgrade the bathroom. Go with an elegant style that adds refinement to the room. Or, opt for enamel faucets that give the space character. Splurge on a ceiling light that you love to spice up the space. 4. Add a one-of-a-kind design element.
Whether it’s that hand-carved cabinet you bought on your honeymoon or an heirloom piece handed down from your grandmother, one-of-a-kind furniture is a great way to have fun with your bathroom design. Retrofit a cabinet into a vanity or replace your faucet with a vintage design, and you create a bathroom that’s decidedly outside the box. 5. Hang artwork intentionally.
Hanging a dramatic piece of artwork in the bathroom can offer a delightful surprise in a room that tends not to see a lot of eye candy. Pick a piece that you love, a piece that goes with your decorating, or both. Because most bathrooms are low on available wall space, you’ll need to be intentional about what and how many pieces you choose. 6. Try your hand at a craft.
Whether you go big with a DIY wooden towel rack or smaller scale with a mason-jar tissue holder, there are endless options for craft projects relating to the bathroom. Build a magazine rack into the wall by the toilet, add floating shelves in the alcove next to the shower, create a jewelry rack, or whatever you like. When decorating the bathroom is about having fun, the sky’s the limit for how you can personalize the ideas.
Whenever you’re looking to breathe life into a bathroom and have fun in the process, you have a wonderful opportunity for creativity at home. Use the five ideas above to get inspired with ideas for making a fun bathroom space — and shop Modern Bathroom for the best factory-direct pricing on a host of products.
Nothing relaxes and refreshes like the great outdoors. That’s exactly why, when you want to add a more peaceful feel to your home, you want to incorporate elements of nature into your decorating. How can you add natural elements into your home, such as in the bathroom? To help answer that question and inspire you with your nature-themed bathroom design, here are a few tips for adding a touch of nature to one of the most well-used and important rooms in your layout:
1. Widen windows.
Bigger windows mean larger views of the surrounding world — a feature that’s especially valuable when your bathroom overlooks trees, a fenced backyard, a pool or water. A more expansive view of the outdoors can add to your overall sense of tranquility in the bathroom. Wider windows also let fresh air and breezes into your bathroom when you open them on temperate days. On top of that, they let in more natural light, flooding your bathroom with the incomparable beauty of daylight during waking hours. 2. Let the light in.
Avoid the temptation to cover your windows with heavy curtains or drapes, which block natural light. Opt instead for lighter window treatments that let the light into your space. If you’re concerned about privacy, consider incorporating plants in your landscaping outside the window — this gives you all the benefits of outdoor views, without the worries of intruding eyes. 3. Add greenery.
Nothing says nature like fresh greenery growing in your home. Living plants add vibrancy and natural focal points to your decorating. More than that, they can decrease levels of certain pollutants, reduce airborne dust, increase humidity and lower stress levels for people who see them. 4. Incorporate natural materials.
When it comes to bathroom components such as floors, walls and a vanity, there are many options for incorporating the natural world. Choose natural, instead of man-made, materials, and you instantly add to the nature-themed appeal of your space. Look for hardwoods, bamboo, cork, stone, etc., to bring a little more of the outdoors inside your bathroom. 5. Opt for earth tones.
For a bathroom that speaks to the appeal of nature, skip bright, flashy colors that are hard to find in the natural world. Instead, choose soothing earth tones reminiscent of beaches, woods, deserts and other outdoor locales. Whether you go with blues and greens for a sea-themed bathroom or tans and browns for a wooded space, you can enhance the feel of your room with your color scheme. 6. Decorate with natural materials.
When you’re choosing how to style your bathroom, look for objects that incorporate natural fibers (such as rattan and wicker) or natural elements (such as shells and sand). These objects that hint at the outdoors may add some of nature’s calming benefits to your space.
Whether you’re redesigning your master bathroom or planning a guest bathroom in a new home, when you want to work natural appeal into your bathroom, think strategically about your bathroom design. By incorporating more natural elements and creating a cohesive nature-themed look, you can design a bathroom that you love walking into each day.
To help you know where to start when planning a bathroom with natural elements, use the six ideas above. And, when you’re looking for the best in bathroom fixtures for your remodel or design, come to Modern Bathroom, the Internet’s leading resource for factory-direct pricing on bathroom components. Search our catalog online to learn more. Or, reach out anytime with questions about finding the best in bathroom features, fixtures and elements.