Most homeowners first start planning to remodel a bathroom to give it a new look. With the right materials and designs, you can also make your bathroom more functional.
Most people spend at least an hour a week cleaning their bathroom, but there are better things that you can do with that time than scrubbing the shower. Here are five remodeling ideas that will make your bathroom easier to clean.
1. Stick to Solid Surfaces
Grouted tile floors and countertops take much more work to clean than smooth and seamless surfaces. If you have to use tile, make sure to pick a smooth tile that is large in size. Large tiles minimize the amount of grout lines used between them.
You can also request that the installer make the grout seams as thin as possible. Minimal seam thickness will cut down on the exposed grout that needs cleaning. You may even consider using a darker grout that will hide mildew and dirt.
Another good alternative is a quartz countertop that can be made to order in one solid slab without any seams. If your bathroom subfloor is concrete, consider having it dyed, polished, and sealed to create a beautiful and durable floor that is free from grout or seams to scrub.
2. Look for Tough Materials
When remodeling, look for quality materials that don’t require special cleaning products and techniques. Thin materials that crack or break will make your cleanup harder.
For faster wall cleanup, consider vinyl wallpaper and wall coverings. Vinyl wallpaper is durable, wipes clean, and doesn’t absorb moisture like normal wallpaper. Mildew-resistant paint that can be scrubbed is also a great wall covering.
Glass makes a hardy countertop that resists staining better than most stone and laminate countertops. Glass also doesn’t have to be sealed regularly like stone does.
At the very least, choose tough materials that will keep their form and won’t degrade to the point where they become hard to clean.
3. Choose Minimalist Taps
The more intricate the decorative work on your faucet, the more time you will spend cleaning it. Mildew loves to grow in the tiny moist places in your bathroom. The handles on a tap gather dirt and oil from your hands when you use them.
You don’t want to have to remove your tap handles every time you want to deep clean the bathroom just to get to dirt trapped inside of a hollow design. Choosing a faucet with few details and a smooth finish will reduce the amount of time you will spend cleaning your faucets and taps.
4. Request Frameless Shower Enclosures
If you’re considering a traditional glass shower enclosure, check out the frameless alternatives first. Framed shower doors collect all kinds of dirt in the track the door runs on and in the seams in the frame. Gravity carries water and dirt into the nooks and crannies and under the rail, which is hard to clean.
Most of the time, you have to remove the shower doors for deep cleaning. A frameless glass enclosure still keeps the water from splashing out while requiring only a wipe down of the glass to stay clean.
5. Raise Fixtures Up
Since your bathroom should be cleaned and sanitized throughout the week, raised height cabinets can help keep the countertops clean for a longer period of time. Having the sink raised higher makes it easier for washing your hands, face and brushing your teeth without spreading water or germs.
You might want to replace your old built-in bath tub with a free-standing one. The seams around a built-in tub collect dirt and moisture and require regular scrubbing. The more room you have to get around bathroom fixtures, the quicker cleaning will go.
If you are considering remodeling your bathroom and want to schedule a consultation, contact us here at Case Design/Remodeling. Tap into our years of remodeling experience to make the process go smoothly.
