As bathrooms fluctuate constantly in terms of temperature and humidity, it is important to clean it constantly to rid it from bacteria and dirt that may develop over time. Here are some design strategies that can help make the job easier.
Opt for little or no grout
Dirt and grime love to cling to the grout lines between tiles, making it one of the hardest parts of the bathroom to clean. So, using solid materials – like engineered stone panels, stone slabs, back-painted glass or vinyl wall coverings – for your surfaces will save a lot of elbow grease. But if you still want to use tiles in your bathroom, then opt for large format pieces. Larger tiles mean less grout, which requires minimal upkeep over a longer period of time.
Image credit: K2A
Go frameless
Although framed shower screens are beautiful to look at, the aluminium touch-points around the glass are actually a magnet for soap scum and gunk. So by going frameless, what remains is a simple sheet of glass that is going to be much easier to wash down with the shower head. There are also a number of options for glass coatings – like Rain-X – that can help it to better repel water and soap scum, in turn making your clean up process easier.
Fix faucets to the wall
It may seem unconventional, but wall-mounted faucets actually contribute more towards an easy-to-clean bathroom than counter-mounted ones. This is because with wall-mounted faucets, water and soap residue are immediately directed into the sink instead of collecting at the base, making the counter much easier to wipe down. If you want to take things a step further, you can even opt for sensor-operated faucets, which will deter germs from growing due to the absence of touch.
Image credit: Arent & Pyke
Say no to grooves
We’ve all found ourselves in the situation where we had to contort our bodies to clean all the hard-to-reach spots in and around our toilets. That’s because traditional two-piece toilets have a separate bowl and tank, which result in lots of tiny crevices that are really hard to clean. To avoid this, opt for a one-piece toilet model instead. Moulded from a single piece of porcelain, this means that you will no longer have awkward spots you have to get behind and scrub, reducing your cleaning time in the process.
Get everything off the floor
It isn’t pleasant to have to get down on your hands and knees to clean around a toilet bowl or your vanity sink. So by mounting all your bathroom fittings on the wall, they make cleaning the floor a much easier process. Additionally, to further prevent nooks and crannies from collecting bits of dust, aim for fittings that have straight, seamless sides that will offer a smooth and easy glide surface that you can easily wipe down with one sweep of a wet cloth.
Image credit: Concept Interiors
