Use This Not That: How to Make Your Bathroom Low Maintenance

If you’re like most people, your favorite Saturday activity is cleaning the bathroom…or maybe not! We can all find better things to do with our free time than clean. Let’s look at some tips to consider when remodeling your bathroom that will create a beautiful and low maintenance space, and make sure your Saturday mornings are spent relaxing.

Countertops

For years granite countertops have been the undisputed champion of the countertop world, but more recently quartz has been challenging for the title. With manufacturing technology improving, quartz manufacturers have created stunning patterns and colors that look more and more natural in their colors and designs. Unlike granite, marble, or other stone countertops, quartz is exceptionally durable and stain resistant without the need for sealers. While other materials need coasters to protect them stains, quartz does not require a vigilant eye to keep it from staining or chipping. With all of these benefits, it’s easy to see why quartz is becoming a more and more popular choice!

To learn more about the debate of Granite vs. Quarts watch our video: Granite vs. Quartz Countertops.

Faucets and Finishes

Those glimmering chrome and polished fixture finishes sure look great on Houzz. There’s just one catch, all that shininess requires a consistent cleaning to keep water spots and fingerprints from smudging the photo. Finishes such as satin nickel, satin chrome, and stainless steel on faucets and other fixtures hide water spots and fingerprints much better than their polished cousins.

Can’t resist the glitz? Many faucet manufacturers offer lifetime finishes that are durable and easy to clean. Their slick finishes make removing the everyday spots much easier and the keep that new shine for many years to come.

Single lever faucets are also a great option for making maintenance and use easier. They can be operated with one hand, and because they typically have only one mounting point on the countertop, they are much easier to clean around than a faucet with two handles and a spout to navigate.

Showers

Not only can stepping over a curb into or out of a wet shower be dangerous, the corners created by the curb are a real pain to clean. A barrier-free shower design provides easy access and a nice flat entrance that’s easier to clean. No toothbrush required!

Shower Fixtures

Using a cup to rinse out your shower when you clean it can be frustrating and time-consuming. Not to mention splashing cleaner on yourself and in your face. Consider including a handheld shower-head in your design and you’ll have a handy way to rinse your shower and shower glass down every time you shower. And when you do need to clean, which will be less often with normal rinsing, it will be easier and less messy to rinse down the soap.

To make your bathroom remodel a spa retreat check out these 4 Spoil Me Options that will make your bathroom experience heavenly. 

Tile Options

Tile is a beautiful material and makes up a lot of the surfaces in a bathroom. However, with all those grout joints and tile surfaces, you could end up with a lot of maintenance if you make the wrong choice.

While natural stone is a beautiful choice in tile materials, it brings with it some unwanted maintenance concerns. Stone will typically require sealers to be applied periodically to keep soap scum from accumulating and to keep the tile from absorbing too much water. Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are practically impervious to water and stains and are also extremely durable and chip resistant. To make things even better, they’re almost always a less expensive option as well.

From a safety perspective, many porcelain tiles have a high coefficient of friction (COF) rating making it safer in bathrooms where water tends to be splashed around. For more on why you should care about the COF rating of a tile see our blog enter the name of the blog with this info in it here J.

To learn more about tile shapes and materials check out these helpful videos as well: Tile Shapes and The Different Tile Material: What You Should Know

Smart People Make Smart Choices

Our goal with these pieces is to help you get the information you need to make educated choices for your home and family. If you’ve found this helpful, or have questions or requests for other topics, please leave them below, and we’ll make sure you get the answers you need.

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