5 Tile and Grout Cleaning Secrets

January 27th, 2011 by GuestPoster

Ever wondered how to clean tile grout?  A lot of people are struggling with mildew and stains on their tile grouts. If you have tried several products, used a lot of cleaning techniques and a whole lot of elbow grease and still not gotten the results you wanted, then you are in the right place! Let’s examine some grout cleaning secrets that experienced homemakers have used. This may be a seemingly difficult task, but it is actually straightforward and easy to follow.

One notable secret is to be proactive. I learned this from my aunt who manages a staffing services company. We have to wipe our showers and bathrooms after the last user. Say, after everybody is off to work and school in the morning, we have to wipe dry our shower grouts with a dry washcloth and a hand held window wiper. Since mildew loves moist, damp places, this is a preventive way  tile cleaning and it helps to avoid shower grout mildew.

Another secret is to use environmentally friendly products. We should avoid harsh cleaners since these emit toxic fumes and may even stain and discolor our tiles and grouts. These mild cleaners are vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda. The first two should be applied on the problem area, let it stand for a few minutes and wipe with a damp washcloth. We can also make a paste from baking soda, vinegar and a bit of table salt. The application is placed on the slimy shower grouts and rinsed or wiped with a damp washcloth too.

We can also use a bleach solution. The solution is a 1:2 bleach to water ratio. We put this in an ordinary spray bottle, apply it on our shower or tile grouts, and let it stand for twenty minutes and scrub the area. We should be careful to use oxygenated or color guard bleach on our colored tiles. The whole process may take a few hours and a bit of elbow grease, but that icky stain will come off.

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Reasons to Consider a Tub Shower Combo

January 14th, 2011 by

If you are planning to redesign your bathroom, there are several reasons you should consider installing a tub shower combo. In most homes, a bathroom is used by more than one person.  You must consider your own bathing needs and preferences as well as those of your spouse, children and potential guests. A tub shower combo provides the flexibility of both a bathtub and shower, so it can meet everyone’s needs.

Benefits of a Tub Shower Combo

Variety is the most obvious benefit of installing a combination tub and shower. Sometimes you want to spend a long time relaxing in your bathtub in the evening, while other times you just need to take a quick shower before you start the day.  When you have a tub shower combo, you can choose whichever option you prefer at the moment.  You will never have to settle for one or the other again.

Bathtub and shower combination units also make efficient use of space. Although these units can be found in a number of sizes and styles, they are always an excellent choice for bathrooms with space limitations.  Even if you don’t have enough space in your bathroom to accommodate both a walk in shower and a separate bathtub, you can likely fit a tub shower combo. Even if you have a larger bathroom, a combo unit makes sense because it preserves space for other furnishings.

Combination Tub/Shower Styles

If you are concerned that tub shower combos aren’t attractive or won’t fit in nicely with your bathroom decor, then perhaps you haven’t explored all of the options available. Whether you prefer the classic look of a claw-foot bathtub or the sleek, clean lines of a modern tub and shower combination, there is a style you will definitely love, and you will even be proud to show it off to your guests.

Danze D510011BNT - Melrose Collection Single Handle Tub & Shower Faucet Trim

You may purchase a single unit that contains a bathtub and shower enclosure as one piece, or purchase your bathtub separately and install matching fixtures, including a bathtub mixer, faucet, as well as a showerhead. This is an especially attractive option if you prefer a large, soaking garden tub over the standard size, or special features such as a steam shower. Most tub shower combination enclosures are made of either fiberglass or porcelain.

A bathroom is one of the most frequently-used rooms in a home.  You need for it to be comfortable, attractive, and a lovely place for your company to visit.  When you are preparing to remodel your bathroom, begin by making a tub shower combo one of the must-have elements of the design.  As soon as you install it, you will see what a wonderful difference in makes in the overall appearance of the room.  After you try it out for the first time, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.

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Installing Ceramic Bathroom Tile – Yes, You Can!

January 14th, 2011 by

When the redecorating bug strikes most folks, they typically think of new paint or wallpaper in the kitchen, living room, or bedroom. How about perking up that tired little bathroom instead? It’s a relatively small space that can be beautifully transformed with a little bit of time and a small budget.

One of the most dramatic ways to put a new shine on a bathroom is with ceramic bathroom tile. With so many different colors, designs, and shapes available, choosing your tile is the hardest part of the job! Ceramic bathroom tile is readily available at many hardware stores and home centers. You could have a contractor or handyman install the tile if you wish, but with a little patience and planning it can be a fun job to do yourself. A small or medium-sized bathroom can easily be redone in a weekend – and the beautiful new look will last for years.

Many home centers provide free classes to give you the basics of installing tile, which would give you the opportunity to get a feel for preparing your floor or wall, laying the mortar, spacing and cutting the tiles, preparing and applying the grout, and finishing it all off. If these classes are not available in your area, there are many wonderful tutorials online; a simple search for “installing ceramic bathroom tile” should give you pages of helpful results.

Very few tools are needed for this process, and they are very inexpensive. A tape measure, chalk line, trowel, grout float, tile spacers, bucket, sponge, knee pads (trust me on that one), and some rags are all you need to get the project rolling. Measuring your room to determine the square footage will determine how much tile, grout, and mortar you need to purchase.

When installing ceramic bathroom tile, there will probably be times when some tiles must be cut to fit. This can either be accomplished by scoring and breaking the tile or by using a tile saw, which can be rented at many home centers or tool and equipment rental shops.

Installing ceramic bathroom tile may sound like a daunting job, but if you take a little time to learn the steps, exercise a little patience, and take your time to keep everything lined up correctly, you will be so pleased with the results that you’ll be looking for other spots to tile before the bathroom grout even dries!

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What is a Neo Angle Shower?

January 14th, 2011 by

Have you heard of a neo angle shower, but aren’t sure exactly what that means, and if such an enclosure is the right fit for your bathroom?  Many people have old-fashioned bathtubs served by a shower head and sealed off with a curtain. These units take up a lot of space and are a challenge to keep clean. In addition to these drawbacks, old-fashioned tubs and showers do not offer the clean aesthetic of a glass walk in shower.

Neo Angle Shower Enclosures and Bases
A neo angle shower enclosure is made of glass panels mounted within a metal frame. As the name implies, the panels are angled so that the unit can fit neatly into the corner of your bathroom. Two panels angle at 45 degrees, while the third panel faces into the bathroom and contains a pivoting shower door. Neo angle shower bases are most often made of fiberglass. These showers can be purchased as a single kit, or your can mix and match the base and frame elements to get the right look for your bath. Neo angle showers are often budget-friendly because you can install them yourself.

Benefits
Neo angle showers eliminate many of the issues you face with a typical tub and shower combo. They are easy to get in and out of because you do not have to step over the edge of a tub.  While this feature is great for everyone, it is especially beneficial to homes with small children and elderly persons, as it reduces the risk of accidental falls. Also, neo angle showers are easy to clean. You will never need to bother with messy shower curtains, or shower doors that collect water and soap residue again.  The angled lines make it easy to simply wipe it dry after each use.

Neo angle showers are ideal for small bathrooms.  They are a wonderful space-saver.  However, this does not mean they cannot be installed in larger bathrooms.  No matter what the size of your bathroom, it will be roomier and more comfortable with the small amount of space this shower unit preserves.

Styles
As each homeowner is an individual, tastes in shower design often vary.  There is a neo angle shower to suit every taste.  From framed to frameless, clear to frosted, it is easy to choose the one you will love having in your bathroom.  When you begin browsing through all the styles, one of these showers will surely catch your eye.

Whether you are thinking about taking on a significant amount of bathroom remodeling, or you want to make a big impact without spending a lot of money, exchanging your current tub or shower for a neo angle shower can make a world of difference.  If you want a bathroom that looks clean and modern, this type of shower unit could be the right choice for you.

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What Are LED Shower Heads?

January 12th, 2011 by GuestPoster

There are so many different types of shower heads on the market these days, when you are looking to buy a new one, the choice can seem quite staggering. One new addition to the already extensive range is the LED shower head, which brings a quirky, fun twist to showering.

While they may sound very gimmicky, and potentially expensive and complicated, this is in fact far from the reality of an LED shower head. They are incredibly simple pieces of sanitary ware, and are just as easy to install and use as a standard shower head. LED bulbs are inset into the shower head, all the way around, and they are powered by the motion of the water as it flows past them. They require no additional power source, so are not a drain on resources. You can choose from a variety of colors, and you can even buy LED shower heads that cycle through a range of colors, or have LED’s that are temperature sensitive. These work by showing a different color for a different temperature range, for instance, cool water will give a green light, ideal showering temperature water will give a blue light and very hot water will produce a green light. Of course these colors may well vary between manufacturers, so it is always a good idea to check the instructions leaflet that comes with your LED shower head to be sure you know what color equates to what temperature to avoid any nasty shocks. It is thought that the colors can actually be very soothing, and there is definitely something very relaxing about standing under a spray of colored water.

If you are looking for a new shower head, and would like something a little different, then and LED shower head could be just the thing you are looking for, bringing a bit of fun to showering.

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Benefits of Custom Shower Doors

January 12th, 2011 by

Many people truly enjoy taking a hot shower either in the morning or at night. There is probably nothing like relaxing after a long day of work by refreshing yourself in a nice, hot shower. But there are certain aspects of your shower that may not necessarily cross your mind. One of those aspects is the shower door or curtain that you use. Some people may want to know about the difference of shower curtains and custom shower doors. The truth of the matter is that a good solid door will look far better in the bathroom than a traditional shower curtain.

When thinking of the benefits of a shower door, you must first think about why a shower curtain wouldn’t be your best choice. For one, shower curtains are notorious for growing mildew and mold which can discolor the curtain horribly. Shower curtains also do a poor job at keeping the shower steamy and the floor outside of the shower spill-free. With custom shower doors you can be sure that the hard, solid door is keeping all of the warmth inside. This allows you to fully enjoy your shower and even use it as a sauna. Shower doors also keep the water inside, allowing you to enjoy a showering experience that has minimal water spillage to the tiles outside of the bath.

The truth is that custom shower doors are also relatively easy to clean. With just a simply all purpose cleaner and a soft sponge or cloth, you can gently clean the interior and exterior of the door so that it remains beautiful and elegant. Some people prefer using a special squeegee that removes excess water and soap, ensuring that there is little to no soap scum buildup on the door. And besides the cleaning aspect of shower doors, they just look very elegant and sophisticated for just about any style home and bathroom. With the plethora of different styles and textures to choose from, you can find a door that is perfect for your particular bathroom. Whether you want frosted glass or one that is completely crystal clear, choosing the right one is all up to you.

When weighing the benefits of custom shower doors as opposed to a curtain, there really are so many positive aspects of adding a door to the shower. If you want to enjoy your showering experience just a little bit more, consider a door and get rid of that old, tattered curtain.

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Modern Shower Curtains To Fit Any Look

January 12th, 2011 by

Modern shower curtains will make it very easy to decide what kind of theme to build for the room. Shower curtains are quite possibly the part of your bathroom that is going to draw the most attention. So owning a modern shower is going to help provide an ambient, and soothing sort of experience for your bathroom. The majority of people are going to have a pretty good idea of what kind of image, or theme they want to use to spice up their bathroom. Just as the kitchen is normally the center for entertaining guests, your bathroom is obviously going to be the center for comfort and relaxation.

It is a pretty good assumption to say most people actually spend a great deal of their time in the bathroom. So if you conclude that you want to allow your bathroom to put off a modern, crisp kind of look, you will want to have a modern shower curtain in it. There is a pretty substantial amount of new households being built to have shower doors, and open showers that are stonewalled, you could end up with the impression shower curtains don’t hold much weight these days. This just cannot be true, as a matter of fact, more and more people today are using modern shower curtains to give their bathroom a much more vibrant, unique look and feel to it.

The bulk of these modern looking shower curtains are designed with semi-neutral colors, clean cut straight lined patterns, and even patterns containing abstract styled shapes using dark colors. If you are not wanting to kind of roll with the mainstream type of patterns, you can easily find modern shower curtains in much more intricate designs, allowing for a harder to blend overall theme that kind of screams at you when you walk in. Three of the mainstream patterns these curtains are most favorable in are striped, shapes, and easy styles. So whatever kind of taste you partake to, almost all modern shower curtains provide such a comforting, relaxing feel with them it’s no wonder they are becoming more popular, rather than going out of style.

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A Brief Shower Heads Overview

January 10th, 2011 by GuestPoster

It would be even more astonishing to see a shower with no shower head. Shower heads are simply inevitable. Nevertheless, it is interesting to discover that people hardly know enough about the advantages and the disadvantages of different types of shower heads.

A shower head is that part of the shower that aerates (adds air to the water) and disperses water. Similar to any other bathroom hardware, there are numerous different styles and types of shower heads, each providing different spray patter and water pressure level. There are even heads with anti-bacterial and anti-chlorine filters. Apart from the design and the functional diversity, shower heads of different types require different amount of maintenance.

It would be hard to pin-point which is the most common shower head type. Many would claim that this is the standard round shower head. However ceiling heads of round, square and rectangular shape are also quite common. And while several years ago most of the people used single spray-pattern shower heads, today more and more household prefer to indulge the benefits of large variety spray systems all incorporated into the functionality of a single shower head.

In addition to the spray pattern and style of the shower head you would like to purchase, it is important to consider how practical it would be for you, and for your family members, and how much maintenance it would require. If you have a large family, it is highly recommended that you go for an adjustable shower head. Busy households would benefit the most of high-quality durable shower heads because they will last longer and cost less in long term.

And finally a word about cleaning. Regardless of the specification of the shower head you intend to install, you will need to clean it every now and then. Make sure you are familiar with the best cleaning technique for your shower to ensure top-notch hygiene and to prevent it from damage.

More great bathroom tips can be found by clicking here.

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Cleaning Marble Shower Tiles

January 3rd, 2011 by

Marble is a classic tile choice for a bathroom design. While it is often associated with a more traditional look, it can be extremely modern depending on what type of marble you choose. However, marble showers look their best when they are clean, and it can be confusing process because marble is so porous and tends to stain. Let’s discuss how to clean marble tile floors without damaging them.

The first step to keeping your floors clean is to establish a routine for regular maintenance. Sweep them at least twice a week, and more often if necessary, to keep dirt and grim from settling into the surface. When you walk over a dirty marble floor, your feet can grind the dirt into the surface and permanently damage the delicate tile.

When it comes times for a more thorough cleaning—about once a week—it’s time to use some soap and water. Use a soft mop or a sponge along with warm water to wipe down the surface of the marble tiles. Purchase a special marble cleaning solution to be sure you aren’t using a soap that is too harsh and could discolor your tile. Acidic solutions such as those containing vinegar may be especially damaging, so stick with milder solutions. Whichever solution you use, be sure to rinse it thoroughly and don’t be to rough with the mop or towel. Sure, marble looks hard, but it can also chip and crack in some instances.

Finally, take the extra few minutes to dry your marble floor by hand. A soft towel will do the trick, and this extra step will prevent streaking on your freshly clean floor. It will also prevent a scary accident, as marble tends to be slick when wet. Now that you understand how to clean your marble tile floor in your shower, it should be an easy ritual to incorporate into your weekly cleaning session.

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