Cleaning the bathroom is a chore that everyone dreads. Its hard work that nobody looks forward to but the results are amazing. Nothing beats the feeling of stepping into a gleaming bathroom. And the smell…can we just talk about the smell of a clean bathroom. Lush!

However, when cleaning our bathrooms, we often make terrible mistakes. These mistakes can sometimes compromise the conditions of our beloved bathroom. Continue reading to find out the 5 biggest mistakes we make and the simple hacks that will stop you making them.

Cleaning with bleach

With all the white china in a bathroom it seems logical to grab the bleach, right? We all use bleach in our bathroom and whilst it’s safe to use on your toilet bowl, it should be avoided elsewhere. Bleach is a very harmful chemical that will cause damage to anything chrome covered. So that tends to be taps, wastes, shower enclosure handles and trims, showers and flushes! There are a lot of things that shouldn’t have bleach used on them in your bathroom. When cleaning your bathroom, you should ensure that only a washing up liquid is used and hot water on everything besides your toilet bowl.

Not washing your bathmat

A bathroom mat should be there more as a practical feature rather than a stylish one. It is an essential to avoid slipping when you step out of the bath or shower. The nature of a bathmat therefore leaves you with a damp patch on your bathroom floor for a good portion of the day. Whilst damp your bathmat is a hive for bacteria development. Due to this its advised that your bathroom mat is washed weekly! For this reason, when you choose your mat bear this in mind. The fake animal skin one shown may look amazing but is really not a practical choice!

Toothbrushes and toilets

This is a mistake that you see day after day and wouldn’t even think it was a mistake. How close do you keep your toothbrush to your toilet? After reading the next part of this blog you may consider moving it. When you flush your toilet it releases millions of particles, some bacteria and others of faecal matter are exposed to your bathroom unless you lower the toilet lid. And let’s be honest, who closes the toilet lid to flush? I know I don’t! The solution to stopping your toothbrush being exposed is to keep it as far away from the loo as possible, ideally in a bathroom cabinet.

Wet toilet brushes

A toilet brush is essential for cleaning a toilet. A squirt of bleach and a scrubbing with a brush is the best way to get around the toilet pan for a thorough cleaning. This cleaning method is totally fine, but what you may be doing wrong is storing your brush. Once cleaned you should leave your brush to dry before placing back into its holder. Putting this straight into the holder will leave you with a pool of water that will be full of bacteria and other particles! The solution to this cleaning mistake is simple…. just lift the lid of your toilet, place the brush over to pan to dry with the lid holding it in place.

One cloth cleans all

When your cleaning your bathroom it can be easy to run a bowl of hot soapy water and do the whole of the room with one cloth. After all, you’re cleaning everything, right? Wrong! By doing this you’re cross-contaminating bacteria’s. You wouldn’t want to sit in a bath knowing the cloth had just had a rinse after cleaning the toilet would you! Go for a few microfiber cloths in different colours so you know which colour cleans what.

So how do you fair? Are you making any of these easy mistakes?

A family friendly bathroom can be hard to achieve. After all, there are so many people to keep happy it’s hard to know where to begin. But if there are little ones around it’s important to make sure your bathroom is safe for them too.

At Bathroom Supastore we’ve compiled the 5 thing we think are essential for a family friendly bathroom.

1. Large Radiator

In a busy family bathroom its vital there are a consistent supply of warm and fluffy towels on hand. The best way to ensure this is the case in your home is to choose a radiator such as the Reina Deno which comes in a huge 1488 x 500 mm. The ladder style provides plenty of rungs for multiple towels all of the time.

2. Soft Close Toilet Seat

A soft close toilet seat is a winner for everyone. No more arguments about whether the seat should be up or down as a simple tap and the seat gently close to the *ah-hem correct* position! This gentle closing will also avoid pinching little fingers. A style such as the Marlow has a sleek pan with no nooks for dust to gather. A bonus for parents who need have limited time to clean.

3. Wipe Clean Flooring

If you’ve got carpet in your bathroom, get rid! Carpet that stays damp is prone to bacteria build up and it’s also going stay damp in a busy family bathroom. The solution to making your bathroom flooring family friendly is to go for something wipe clean. Then if the children splash water out of the bath or shower you can simply wipe it up. Clever Click vinyl flooring is available in many wooden and stone flooring options and provide that wipe clean surface. Add a bathmat to provide a safe area for everyone stepping out of the bath or shower.

4. Thermostatic Sliding Shower

I’m sure we’ve all been in the shower and had someone turn on a tap elsewhere in the home!? It’s not a nice experience for the person in the shower facing either a boiling hot or ice cold stream of water. A thermostatic shower makes setting the perfect temperature easy whilst stopping any sudden temperature burst during your shower. Choosing a thermostatic shower with a sliding head as well as a fixed allows you to lower the head cleaning for little bodies too.

5. Semi Pedestal Basin  

The basin is a bathroom essential. It is also the most use piece of sanitrywear in your bathroom, from washing hands to cleaning teeth multiple times a day. Often when little ones are using a basin a step or something to add a few inches to their height is needed. If you opt for a semi pedestal basin you have the flexibility over the height of the basin. You could therefore lower the basin whilst your children are little so they are able to reach the taps a little easier.

We love to hear about the changes have you made to your bathroom to make it family friendly, comment below or on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Vinyl Flooring has had something of a revival in recent years. But, gone are the gaudy 70’s style tiles we all remember from our grandparent’s homes. Vinyl was always considered a cheaper option of flooring hence the negative memories people have of it. However vinyl flooring has once again become one of the most versatile home flooring options. Whether you're wanting a classic wooden or traditional stone flooring there are a wide range of options available.

Why choose vinyl flooring from Karndean?

Vinyl flooring has always been a popular choice due to its practical nature for many years. However, Karndeans Palio Clic is a luxury vinyl flooring, the likes we've not seen available before.

Whilst it is design has a luxurious feel, it's installation technique is simple and straight forward. Making it an ideal solution if you like to get stuck in yourself.

Traditional stone or wooden floors that can often be associated with being cold. However, Palio Clic is warm underfoot and in addition, can be fitted alongside underfloor heating to further insulate and heat your home. A great choice for rooms with limited wall space and ideal for creating that warm underfoot bathroom floor.

Palio Clic has intricate wood and detailed stone designs, boasting realistic textures and grain details with a hard-wearing and easy to clean wear layer. The main advantage to vinyl flooring is how easy it is to clean. Palio Clic is perfect for busy family homes with a wipe clean surface to eliminate stains with mishaps from children and pets alike.

Wood styles

The eight wooden look planks come in a popular large plank format with a pack containing 10 planks, covering 2.184 square metres. Available in eight stunning shades, from white washed panels to rich oak tones. The variety ensures a shade suitable for any room you wish to place it.

Stone styles

The four stone designs are available as a contemporary, rectangular tile forma with a pack congaing 10 tiles, covering 2.184 square metres. Available in four beautiful tones that boast realistic texture and multi tonal design. You really won’t believe they’re not real stone.

How easy is it to fit Palio Clic?

Palio Clic vinyl flooring has a patented lock and click system. The tiles and planks lock together and click in place incredibly easily and therefore, doesn’t require any glue or nails to secure.  The video below shows a breakdown of exactly how to fit these. Look how easy it is!

What do you think about vinyl flooring? Is it an option you'd choose for your home?

If you'd like to discuss any vinyl flooring options, please give the team a call on 08452719929 or drop us an email.

Everyone gets to the stage where they want a new bathroom. Magazines, social media and TV show us stunning bathrooms everyday which can be all it needs to get new ideas flowing. However, some bathrooms are left to get to the stage where they need a revamp.

A well decorated bathroom is often top of a home buyers check list. It's therefore a room that is worth the investment to keep it look good. So when will you know the time to change is here? Here are some of the tell-tale signs that you need to take the plunge and give your bathroom a revamp!

Flooring

If you have carpet in your bathroom, you will want to remove it, after reading this. Carpet in your bathroom is asking for trouble. Unable to be properly cleaned a bathroom carpet, although warm under foot will harbour bacteria. This means your nice clean feet will be stepping straight onto a dirty floor! Not to mention that it will never really feel dry. The condensation produced in the bathroom will be absorbed leaving damp feeling under foot!

The solution to this problem is simple. Choose a tiled or vinyl flooring, such as the Karndean Palio Clic, and add a bath mat for warmth. The bath mat can be easily washed, which should be done weekly, to keep the floor not only hygienic but looking great too.

Colour

There was a time when sage green, pastel pink or blue was the hottest trend in bathrooms…and we don’t mean on the walls! Coloured sanitrywear was a big trend that lasted many decades. Pastel pink and blue were big in the 1950’s with darker sage green and mahogany becoming popular in the 70’s. If you have a coloured suite you may want to consider a change. In recent years some coloured freestanding baths have sold well, but unsurprisingly white sanitrywear is still the most popular choice.

The solution here is simple, if you want to add a bold colour to your bathroom keep it on the walls.  The advantage of keeping the colour in your bathroom on the walls is it is much cheaper to change this if or when you get bored or fancy a change.

Fittings

Taps, plugs and wastes are often the first thing that will make a bathroom look dated. The style and colour of a tap is very telling, unless you choose a timeless and classic design. Chrome finish taps are also subject to peeling. This is caused when chemicals that are too harsh are continually used to clean the bathroom. They can also gather lime scale which can be a little unsightly if left. If you have fittings that aren't sparkling and can' be cleaned, a change may be overdue.

The solution is to choose taps that won’t date easy. Whilst copper or black taps are popular right now, they may not be in 5 years’ time. Always bear this in mind when spending out! Instead opt for a simple and sleek design like the Tavistock Solace range, which will stand the test of time.

Furniture

Just like taps, a furniture will date your bathroom dramatically.  Whether it’s the wood colour, wood type or design of bathroom furniture it can be very telling of its age. If you can tell the decade your bathroom was fitted from the furniture then it may be time to start again.

The solution when it comes to furniture is to keep it simple. Try not to jump on any trend band wagons if you want to keep your bathroom furniture looking great. Those gloss red units might seem like a good idea at the time, but always consider how you will feel about then in 10 years. The Tavistock Compass range is sleek and come sin 3 simple shades that will certainly stand the test of time. If your furniture is in good condition but not to your taste, you can upgrade this with some paint and new handles for a cheaper fix.

If you’re a culprit of any of these, you really need to consider giving your bathroom a face lift. You will find that you don’t have to spend a fortune to completely change your bathroom aesthetic.  Contact the team on 08452719929 if you'd like to talk about revamp options.