Isn’t it wonderful when you have a brand new bathroom installed? Enjoying the fresh, shining furniture and surfaces that bring a clarity and lightness that is just radiant! If you’ve been living with a tired and shabby bathroom for years, we understand the delight of enjoying your refurbished bathroom space. But how can you keep your bathroom looking like new for longer? The secret is in all of the places that get missed when you clean your bathroom. It’s here that the build up of grime can really take the shine from your bathroom. Here are our tips for where to pay attention.
Fittings and Fixtures
We all know that dust gets everywhere at the best of times! And with the added ingredients of moisture, heat and aerosol products, your bathroom fittings are magnets for dust to collect. Every now and again, pay special attention to your light fittings and exhaust fan. As they’re up high you probably don’t pay much day to day attention. However once you look you’ll be shocked at the amount of grime that can accumulate here. Use a vacuum attachment to collect the dust from around the fan casing, and give all the fittings a wipe with a microfibre cloth. Light switches may strictly speaking be outside of the bathroom, but don’t forget to wipe with a sanitising solution to prevent the spread of germs.
Shower Nooks
No one needs to be told to clean their shower! However, it’s the little nooks and crannies that get missed and end up accumulating grime and mildew. When you have a lovely walk in glass shower enclosure fitted as part of your new bathroom, it’s good practice to scrape down the glass with a squeegee (that’s a rubber cleaning blade if you’re unsure!). This will make cleaning less of a chore. When you clean, pay attention to the areas of the shower that butt onto seals, joins, and plastic attachments. These are the spots that are easy to miss regularly. Recessed shelving is aesthetically desirable and practical, but make sure to properly clean all around the recess so that water or soap marks don’t build up.
Walls and doors
This isn’t an everyday requirement, but every six months or so take a look at the walls, skirting and doors of your bathroom. You may not notice until you take a dedicated look, but you’ll likely find water splash marks, soapy residue, splatters from beauty products and toothpaste, and dust and hair. The easiest way to clean the walls of your bathroom is to plan it for after you’ve had a hot shower. Spritz the walls with a gentle cleaner before you shower. Then keep the windows and door closed for around 20 minutes after you get out of the shower – enough time to go and get yourself dried and dressed! Then wipe the walls and the back of the door down with a dry microfibre cloth. The cleaning solution and steam will dislodge all the nasties and it all becomes a breeze to clean!
Inside cupboards and on shelves
Even the tidiest person will spill products in the bathroom. In fact it’s often the residue on bottles which causes the insides of cupboards and drawers to clog up. This is why it’s mindful to periodically wipe down the insides of bathroom units, much as you would in the kitchen. This comes with an added benefit. When you empty cabinets to clean them, you’ll be able to declutter out of date medicines and unwanted products. This will help to keep your bathroom clear of excess and looking as sleek as when it was first installed!
Hooks, holders and heated towel rails
When we clean a bathroom we’ll usually concentrate on surfaces and furniture. What about hand towel and toilet roll holders, hooks and rails, and towel radiators. The rungs of a heated towel rail can very quickly accumulate dust, and without regular cleaning this can become quite a challenge to shift. So every couple of weeks make sure that these overlooked features are given a dust or wipe down.
Dishes, cups and trays
If neglected, your bathroom accessories can very quickly affect the overall appearance of the room, making it look unkempt. Accumulated toothpaste, soap and water scum builds up not just inside, but around and underneath your basin-side accessories. Wash these up as you would kitchen utensils in a warm washing up bowl with detergent.
When you get into the habit of paying attention to the overlooked parts of your bathroom, it’ll be easy to notice when they need a clean. As they say, the devil is in the detail, and once all of these areas are cleansed of grime you’ll be amazed how fresh your bathroom feels. At Stone & Chrome we love to see the joy on our clients’ faces when they first see their completed bathroom refit. We hope that with a little attention, you can hold on to that feeling for much longer! Contact us to experience that ‘new bathroom’ feeling for yourself.