The bathroom can all too often be seen as an entirely functional room in the house. It's not where people generally choose to spend more time than necessary, nor an area of the house for hosting or hanging out. Therefore, many unwittingly neglect it when it comes to giving their home aesthetic appeal, which really shouldn't be the case.
If the bathroom is in dire need of some attention, now that sunny summer parties are appearing on the horizon, perhaps it's time to turn the pampering parlour of the house into somewhere to enjoy spending time, leaving it gleaming and glittering with charm and sparkle.
Get rid of the grime
First and foremost, it must be tidy and - more importantly - clean. There is nothing more repugnant than a dirty bathroom. Arguably, the best way to tackle this is to do the grimy jobs first - for example, unclogging the drains and treating mould patches that may have developed as a result of built-up moisture. Many people may find these grimy jobs somewhat satisfying, as the difference in cleanliness will be truly astounding and perhaps even a little shocking!
While the idea of these jobs may be disgusting, it is certainly not as foul as mildew growing in an area of the house that really should be one of the cleanest. Using a mildew inhibitor and treating surfaces can help to stop more growing. Mineral deposits can be cleaned from the shower head by soaking it in vinegar. For the loo, a disposable toilet brush may be the best fix as they often come preloaded with solution to avoid wearing out the current brush. However, people must be sure to read the instructions on products, as mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia products can produce toxic gases and must therefore be avoided.
Shine those surfaces
Once this is done, it is time to turn to cleaning the surfaces. Luckily, in most bathrooms they will have been designed to be wiped clean on a regular basis. There are a variety of specialist products to clean ceramic, porcelain, glass, mirrored and tiled surfaces - to name just a few. However, more often than not, the dirt will be nothing that a touch a soapy water - with perhaps a spot of disinfectant - cannot resolve. After a clean and a polish, taps, shelves and tiles will be sparkling in no time.
It is imperative to avoid using abrasive fabrics such as steel wool on certain surfaces which may scratch, especially artificial ones. For more difficult stains, many may find that sprinkling some baking powder on the stain and gently scrubbing it after might help to lift dirt more effectively than just using soapy water. A small amount of vinegar used on a mirror can be an effective liquid to get them shiny, followed up by a hearty polish with a clean, dry cloth.
Fine furnishings
Now for the furnishings. Towels, shower curtains and floor mats should be chucked in a hot wash - although only once the label's washing instructions have been checked beforehand - and items such as toothbrush cups, soap dishes and plant pots must be wiped down. If these additional features are filthy, all of the hard work on the bathroom itself will go to waste.
Lovely lighting
Last but not least, one final touch-up which will truly transform a bathroom into a glittering interior design masterpiece involves the installation of some new lighting. A few new shower lights to glint off the freshly polished fittings and sparkling tiles may just have people reaching for the shower head and singing 'Oh what a beautiful morning' every time they take a shower before work, rather than grimacing at the burgeoning mould colonies.
Elsewhere in the bathroom, a few new illuminated mirror lights may immeasurably improve the quality of lighting making it possible to see the reflection for personal grooming, where before it was only possible to make out the vague outline of a face in the smeared glass.
Some new ceiling light fittings in the centre of the room really will breathe new life into the space, as many fittings offer the possibility of angling the light to where it is most needed. With many bathrooms having frosted windows, it is more important than ever that the diminished daylight is offset by some effective electrical lighting.
