Re doing bathroom- what should I go for that is easy to clean??

[MrsWeasely]

I hate cleaning, I also don’t have the time for it and I’m not good at it. I’m having a brand new bathroom put in and I’m trying to decide what to go for that will make it easy and quick to clean. Hubby keen for fully tiled walls and floor (thinking dark grouting). How can I design it so it’s easy to keep clean? I’m thinking a built in bathtub will be easier to keep clean than a freestanding tub? Any suggestions? :)

Bath overflow filler instead of taps

Removable toilet seat. Mine comes off and you can then easily wipe around the fittings. (I live with poor aimers)

Back to wall toilet or wall hung toilet, wall hung unit with sink. Basically things that you never have to clean behind because behind doesn't exist. Also make sure all pipework is hidden/boxed in

@Allthegoodusernamesareused, we need a support group for these sinks! I hate mine, in 2 bathrooms and it's a hard water area. They should be banned as not practical.

Removable toilet seat good idea...Buy the best toilet seat, to remove and put back on. Also ours has metal hinges that tarnish so not sure if other options available.

A back to wall toilet so there’s no reaching around the back where it gets dirty, that makes a huge difference. A wall hung sink, large tiles that aren’t overly glossy or matt. Fewer mirrors or shiny metal.

Side note - we splashed out on a water softener because I was sick of limescale everywhere - turns out, not only does limescale hang onto grime, so things are cleaner now, but our skins have cleared up!

Awaiting new bathroom but it does indeed have huge tiles and wall hung everything (strict instructions to have the loo high enough for the robot mop to get under).

Self cleaning shower screens and install a water softner - hardly any limescale now.

Definitely going to be taking a closer look at the toilet and sinks after some of these comments!

It’s the kind of thing you don’t think about until you have to live with it day in day out.

"Floating" units rather than built in ones with kick boards. I have poor aimers... they go gross...

Removable toilet seat

No square edges in the toilet- the toilet brushes are too rounf and it ends up with grimmy edges.

Big tiles, grey grout

Storage

If you have hard water, matt rather than gloss tiles/panels, don’t show any limescale marks at all.

Wet wall panels are the best thing, honestly. We got ours done a few years ago. Best thing we ever did - was relieved to never have to see grout again.

@QuitMoaning

Waterproof panels instead of tiles. We had them installed 18 months ago and I just don’t understand why anyone uses tiles now. So easy to wipe clean.

Definitely agree with you. It's a no brainer.

I would suggest if you can get them, taps that aren’t silver. Ours are flat ones that the water collects on and constantly needs wiping.

I am watching this thread because I would like to redo our first floor bathroom soonish. I cannot get past the thought that panels look naff especially if they are trying to imitate an expensive stone. Perhaps panels not designed to look like something else work better? Do they like steam cleaners?

Wrt wall hung loos, is there any chance that a very overweight guest would end up detaching it from the (exterior) wall? I'm specifically thinking of my godmother.

I have had polyflor before which was a nightmare to clean.

Also watching with interest as we will be getting our bathroom done this year. So far I want a separate shower, definitely no tiles - so very interested in panels - and hopefully a bit of storage so I can chuck out the ancient plastic drawers. Also hoping we can avoid having to redo or patch the floor as it's Amtico and this would add loads to the budget.

I had panels put on the walls, tiles were removed, a wooden frame made and panels attached to battens I think, it certainly wasn't replastered. I had a similar white panelled ceiling added too,. My bathroom is small and almost wet roomesque now, not sure how panels would be in a large room but I love them, so easy to clean.

wall panels every time. I hate grouting with a passion, so we've had quartz panels put up in the kitchen too

Heated mirror so it never steams up and never gets water marks from people smearing at it to remove the condensation.

I'm not a fan of panels, think it looks like a Travelodge. I understand the attraction for cleaning and agree that grout is the devil's invention.
But I'm getting mine done in a few weeks and I've stuck with tiles. I've asked for dark grout.

The thing is, panel is fine for a stand alone shower, but I have a bath, with shower over, so it doesn't quite work. Plus you then need to decide what splashback you're going to have behind the sink. I'm going for half tiles, full height round the bath, half the rest of the room thus providing the splashback.

Agree go matt or semi matt with hard water, and no bevelled edges, none of those metro tiles. You want smoooooth, so dust and limescale doesn't gather on it.

Another vote for panels, but only if it's a shower room.

The simplest, most streamlined shower enclosure you can afford. One with as few nooks and crannies as possible. We have two showers, one takes three times as long as the other to clean because of all the nooks and crannies and grout (the other is minimalist with panels).

@VanGoghsDog

Heated mirror so it never steams up and never gets water marks from people smearing at it to remove the condensation.

I'm not a fan of panels, think it looks like a Travelodge. I understand the attraction for cleaning and agree that grout is the devil's invention.
But I'm getting mine done in a few weeks and I've stuck with tiles. I've asked for dark grout.

The thing is, panel is fine for a stand alone shower, but I have a bath, with shower over, so it doesn't quite work. Plus you then need to decide what splashback you're going to have behind the sink. I'm going for half tiles, full height round the bath, half the rest of the room thus providing the splashback.

Agree go matt or semi matt with hard water, and no bevelled edges, none of those metro tiles. You want smoooooth, so dust and limescale doesn't gather on it.

I disagree, sorry. I have a bathroom with shower over the bath and it does indeed work brilliantly with having wet wall panels throughout bathroom.

On a practical level you just wipe down. Job done. Miles better than tiles.

All down to personal preference though isn't it.

I'm sure it works brilliantly, I am aware of them, have had them in the past, my mum has them, etc. Still looks like a budget hotel whatever you do.

Detachable shower head for rinsing down the walls. I have a fixed waterfall shower head in the main bathroom and it never occurred to me until it was too late. Am seriously considering having it changed but can’t really justify the cost at the moment.

Ooh yes, if you have a waterfall shower try and get a telephone style one too

@VanGoghsDog

I'm sure it works brilliantly, I am aware of them, have had them in the past, my mum has them, etc. Still looks like a budget hotel whatever you do.

I will gladly enjoy the budget hotel look in my bathroom over regrouting tiles every few years 😂