Designing An Easy-To-Clean Bathroom

By Doreen Schofield

I do not enjoy cleaning my bathrooms, and I know that I’m not alone in feeling this way.  The worst part about it, though, is how much grime and clutter can affect a bathroom’s appearance.  A beautiful, enjoyable space can become not so nice to look at or use when it’s dirty.

Unfortunately, the bathroom that never gets dirty has yet to be invented.  That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways for you to help make bathroom cleanup easier, however.  Here are a few tips for designing a neater, easier-to-clean bathroom.

Fewer Grout Lines

Tile is a popular choice for many aspects of bathroom design, and for good reason.  It can look very nice.  The downside of tile is the grout lines that come along with it.  Grout is a magnet for dirt, grime, mildew, and general filth in the bathroom, especially in a shower or tub surround.  Not only do grout lines attract a lot of dirt, but they can be especially difficult to clean properly.  Design your bathroom with fewer grout lines, and you will have a space that’s much easier to keep clean.

There are a couple of simple ways to cut down on the amount of grout lines.  The first is to select larger size tiles.  The larger the tiles, the fewer the grout lines required.  Solid surfaces, instead of tile, are another method.  Surfaces such as stone, glass, or marble are nonporous, resistant to bacteria and mold, and many are also stain resistant.  These surfaces can be great for a vanity countertop or backsplash.

I know that many homeowners are partial to the look of a mosaic pattern tile, but the number of grout lines in mosaic tile can be difficult to keep clean.  Consider how much smaller mosaic tiles you truly want in your bathroom’s design.  Each of the Callen designers has extensive experience designing with tile and can help you create a shower that’s both nice to look at and easy to clean.

Keep Showers Simple

Like grout lines, showers just seem to attract dirt and grime.  Soap scum is another nuisance.  Glass shower doors and their metal frames can be especially difficult to keep clean and looking nice, so think about an open shower design if the room’s footprint will allow it.  If you want or need to have a glass enclosure, opt for a frameless shower to cut down on the amount of hard-to-clean components.

Also consider the shape of your shower and any built-in shelves or cutouts in the shower wall.  The more corners and surfaces within your shower, the more difficult it will be to clean.  Finally, a handheld showerhead is a simple solution, since you can quickly and easily rinse shower surfaces.

Clutter-Free Surfaces

Since bathrooms are so heavily used, they tend to collect a lot of dust, hair, and dirt.  The most important solution to combat this reality is to keep a clear floor and have plenty of simple storage solutions.  Bathroom fixtures can be especially difficult to clean around, creating hard to reach spaces for filth to pile up.  Generally, the fewer fixtures on the floor, the better off you’ll be from a cleaning standpoint.  Consider a wall-mounted vanity and wall-mounted toilet.  These will make sweeping or vacuuming the floor a straightforward task.

Another friend of dirt and grime in a bathroom is clutter.  Toiletry items living on the vanity countertop can leave water rings and attract other messes.  The same thing holds true for any items on the floor.  Make sure your bathroom design uses enough built-in storage to hold everything you need.  Think outside the box and consider a vanity with outlets within a drawer, so that your blow dryer and other items can stay out of sight and out of the way for cleanup.

At Callen, we pride ourselves on designing and building high-quality spaces that meet the needs and desires of the homeowner.  When it comes to bathrooms, we can help you create an easy-to-clean room that looks as nice as you ever dreamed.