Bathrooms have to be maintained regularly if you do not want it to be a petri dish for bacteria, viruses, and mold. It is one of the most commonly used areas in the house and it is where people go to clean themselves or release bodily wastes. It makes sense that it can get dirty in there very quickly.
In addition, the constant presence of moisture makes the bathrooms the ideal place for pathogens to survive and grow, some of which may even cause an illness.
However, it is very tiring and time-consuming to scrub the walls and fixtures of a bathroom every week.
There is a way to lessen the effort you need to invest in keeping the place clean, and it relies on the overall design and materials used in the bathroom. Here are the tips that will make cleaning the bathroom easier.
Off-the-Floor
Dirt settles in areas that do not commonly see the light of day. All the nooks and crannies in between or below the toilet, the sink, and the bathtub are harboring dust, mold, moisture, and bacteria and viruses.
Choose to have fixtures that are attached to the wall, not the floor. This way, it will be easier to mop or vacuum the spaces below and in between certain items inside the bathroom. This approach also prevents grime from gathering in these areas in the first place.
However, just make sure to ask a local plumber to help you out when moving pipes. This is not a do-it-yourself project unless you, or your partner, have prior experience in plumbing. Tinkering with pipes on your own will only cause a problem later on. You will have to do more cleaning if you mess up reattaching the tap or showerhead where it belongs.
Lose the Cubicles
Cubicles function by keeping the water contained in one area so that the rest of the bathroom, especially the floor, remains dry. It also divides the room, allowing multiple people to use it at the same time.
However, these enclosures are actually quite disgusting. They do not thoroughly dry which means that it is the perfect place for mold to grow. Gunk also tends to settle in the corners and in between crevices. In short, it is a pain to keep clean.
Removing cubicles would deduct one more thing in the bathroom to scrub regularly.
Invest in a Self-Cleaning Toilet
The toilet is one of the dirtiest items around the house. If you have the money, get a self-cleaning toilet. A self-cleaning toilet has features that automatically gets rid of waste buildup and prevents discoloration. It blasts water throughout its interiors to remove grime automatically, removing the need for scrubbing. It also makes sure to spritz deodorizing liquid to keep the bathroom smelling fresh and clean, even after someone used it.
Although it is quite expensive compared to the regular toilet, you will save time and energy not having to brush dirt on your own.
No Grout, No Problem
Grout is common among bathrooms, but it should not be because they only create a space for dirt, water, and mold to settle. Moreover, they are difficult to clean.
Regular mopping unfortunately would not ensure that the grout is clean. You would have to get down on your knees, with bleach and brush in hand, to remove any grime that has settled in them. Plus, if they are lighter than what most people have at home, it is painfully obvious when they have not been cleaned.
Another solution is to just pick grout in a darker color. However, you can have no grout at all. Right now, a bare concrete wall is in style. With a concrete wall, there will be no grout to clean. In fact, it does not require any maintenance at all aside from the occasional sealing of the surface to prevent stains. It is immune to water, too, preventing the appearance of cracks or any kind of damage.
Reduce the Humidity
The bathroom has higher levels of moisture in the air because of the constant splashing of water when you bathe or wash your hands. When humidity is high, mold grows and spreads.
However, most exhausts found in bathrooms are not enough to remove the excess moisture in the air. You may need to upgrade your exhaust fan to more effectively carry heat and moisture out of the bathroom. In addition, you may add a dehumidifier for your bathroom.
With much lower levels of humidity in your bathroom, mold will not grow. You will spend far less time scrubbing the floors, the walls, and the fixtures in your bathroom.
Following these tips will make cleaning and maintaining the bathroom a much easier task. You will have more time and energy doing things that you enjoy.
