Remember the first day you moved into your house? You’d chosen it partly based on the fantastic bathroom. Today it looks old and tired- what happened? How can you restore the once gleaming bathtub or find space for the accumulation of lotions and potions? If you need to restore your bathroom into a relaxing space again then read on.
I’ve got 6 simple tips that will transform your bathroom overnight!
1. Get Rid of Mould Patches
Mould is a reality in many bathrooms and is the result of moisture and warmth, two unavoidable factors. It’s far more likely to occur in poorly ventilated bathrooms because the moisture lingers for longer. Once mould occurs it can be very difficult to get rid of and is very quick to spread. You need to stop it in its tracks, remove as much of the mould patches as you can and take measures to prevent reoccurrence.
Two major areas for mould growth are in the grouting between the tiles and in the rubber sealant around your shower tray or bath tub.
Scrub the grouting with mould specific cleaners. Avoid using bleach because although it’s a powerful anti bacterial it can discolour your tiles, be corrosive to your skin and in poorly ventilated bathrooms will be more harmful than the mould spores to your health. Spray on a mould busting cleaner and leave it for about 5 hours to allow it to attack the mould. You can then scrub the tiles and grouting with a brush. You may need to repeat this process if your mould is particularly bad.
Next change the rubber sealant, which is easier than you might think. You need to firstly remove the old sealant, making sure it’s all gone as rubber cannot stick to rubber. Make sure the shower or bath is dry then with a home use silicone sealant (available online or from a hardware shop) squeeze fresh rubber into the gap in a smooth action. Clean up any spills and then allow to set for 24 hours.
Make sure the mould doesn’t come back by spraying an antibacterial in the shower or bath after each use. Address any ventilation problems either by installing a window, vent or extraction fan. If you can’t afford to do this yet then make sure the moisture is cleared out of the bathroom quickly by drawing back the shower curtain and leaving the bathroom door wide open after use.
2. Say Goodbye to a Chipped Bathtub
Renewing your bath is expensive and a lot of work right? Wrong! You can resurface your bath with paint-on bath coating. You’ll avoid the stress, cost and time involved in replacing the bath altogether. What’s more resurfacing lets you change the colour of your bath, creating a big change in your bathroom with only a little work. It’s so simple you could do it every few years for an instant refresh.
My friend Bobby took the opportunity recently when he saw a discount code online. He went to Tubby UK and put in ‘bathbliss’ at the checkout. He got a resurfacing kit at a really affordable price and his bathroom looks fantastic now! All you need to do is sand your bath to buff out the scratched areas then protect the edges around the bath (especially your new silicone sealant) with masking tape.
Next, take a paintbrush and apply the white or coloured coating. Allow to dry and then apply the hardener to set the coating and add a beautiful shine. Voila, a whole new bath!
3. Create a Spa
Again, you’re probably reeling thinking ‘this is going to be expensive’ but it doesn’t have to be. With a few DIY touches you can make your bathroom into a spa experience.
Firstly change the shower head to a more high-end fitting. You can do this yourself by buying a rainfall shower head that extends into the shower and disperses the water over a larger area from straight above you. You’ll feel like you’re standing under summer rain.
Secondly install a ‘tan while you shower’ light panel. This isn’t a DIY job unfortunately so will take a little more time to implement but the effect will be a private tanning spa in your shower- unbelievable right? This requires a series of low level UV lights to be fitted into the wall behind your shower. They’ll be protected by a water proof screen so you can shower safely. The UV rays will build up a very gradual tan on your skin as you use it. Regular exposure to UV is known to be beneficial to health, stimulating vitamin D production.
4. Clear the Clutter
If half empty bottles of shampoo and 10 different shower gels are all lined up in the shower this looks messy. Take action by throwing away anything that’s nearly finished (recycling plastic bottles where possible). Keep out the products you use regularly and store the ones you don’t. Leaving bottles standing in damp conditions can encourage bacteria to grow thus a proper rack that allows the base of the bottles to dry is important. Get a wire shower tidy in whatever design best fits your bathroom, either hanging or fitted from floor to ceiling in the shower.
Hide everything else on shelves or in closed cupboards and drawers. Tall storage makes better use of limited space as does a cupboard underneath the sink. Calling in a carpenter will mean getting a bespoke solution that solves your storage problem in the most appropriate way which is definitely worth any extra cost involved.
5. Choose Bright Accessories
New accessories can give the impression of a new bathroom and bright touches especially will make it feel very fresh. Get rid of your old dull bathmat and replace it with a sunny shade. White looks great but it gets dirty quickly. You’re looking for colour that makes you feel happy so yellow, pink or sea green is perfect.
Compliment this with coloured holders for toothbrushes, shaving kits, hand towels or a new shower curtain. Chrome features on soap dishes or dispensers look clean and bright.
6. Create Continuity
Along with bright accessories a great decorating tip for bathrooms is to actually tie it in with the rest of the house. Try decorating your bathroom as though it’s your living room. We all like taking time out in the bathroom every now and then so make it a space to relax.
Add photo frames and a vase of flowers for a nice homely touch and to break away from the usual soap and water focus of the bathroom. Invest in a bath pillow so you can lie back comfortably when you’re having a long soak in the tub. Don’t forget some reading material. Put a copy of your favourite book (a cheap one that you don’t mind getting wet) and some magazines next to the bath.