Whether you're building a new home or knocking down your old one, you have a priceless opportunity to design your bathroom in a way that not only looks beautiful, but ensures future cleaning and maintenance is effortless.
Bathrooms are some of the hardest working areas in the home, yet when designing a dream bathroom, it's easy to focus on aesthetics. Often, consideration of cleaning and maintenance is secondary &#; a point that quickly turns to regret after a few weeks of use.
How often and how deeply we need to clean a bathroom is directly impacted by its design planning, from layout to fixtures. It's important to get right, as wet rooms can cause maintenance and hygiene headaches due to the constant presence of moisture.
"If you design a bathroom from the get-go to be easily maintained, you're working smarter not harder and will live a happier life &#; but it's also crucial for longevity," said Kim Masters, bathroom design expert and co-owner of The Bathroom Guide.
"If it's going to be cleaned well and easily maintained you're going to reduce the risks for things like mould growth and moisture sitting in certain areas that it shouldn't, which can result in a deterioration of things like grout, which then ultimately leads to leaks and other problems."
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This beautiful bathroom is a perfect example of an easy-to-clean space: large format tiles, under-mounted sinks, wall-mounted tapware, ample ventilation and both a back-to-wall bathtub and toilet. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Masters and her builder partner have designed and built their fair share of bathrooms. They've curated their top 10 bathroom tips so you can design your bathroom to change your life.
1. Avoid tight spaces
Layout and spatial planning, along with consideration of your fixtures and fittings (such as wall-mounted tapware), will pay dividends in the long run.
"Tight spaces can be challenging to clean and tend to trap dust, dirt and moisture," said Masters.
"During the design phase, prioritise creating adequate space around all fixtures, ensuring there are no hard-to-reach areas where grime can accumulate. This will make your bathroom easier to maintain and clean over time."
2. Choose large-format tiles
"Large-format tiles are a perfect choice for bathrooms, especially in wet areas like the shower. Small tiles require more grout, which can promote dirt and mould. With larger tiles, you'll have fewer grout lines, making cleaning much easier," explained Masters.
Masters suggests a minimum of 600 x 600mm for larger format tiles. Of course, you can still use smaller feature tiles, but to reduce the amount of potential damage and future cleaning required, keep feature tiles to one lesser-used area, or apply them from mid-wall and up.
3. Forget floor-to-ceiling feature tiles in shower areas
"While feature tiles can enhance the aesthetic appeal of a bathroom, using them from floor to ceiling in a shower area may increase cleaning time due to the additional grout lines," said Masters.
"A smarter approach is to tile the bottom half of the shower area with large-format tiles, and use the feature tiles only on the top half. This reduces grout lines in areas prone to water exposure, making it easier to clean."
Another design suggestion favoured by Masters is to utilise a full shelf in the shower area instead of a niche. This way, it's a functional place for shower products, but also acts as a natural punctuation between tile choices &#; where the bottom half and shelf are tiled in a larger format that's easy to clean, but you still get the aesthetics of feature tiles at eye line.
Design choices like large-format tiles, wall-mounted tapware and a built-in bath area are the way to go for a bathroom that's a dream to clean. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
4. Consider back-to-wall baths, corner baths, and built-in baths
Bath design plays a significant role in reducing cleaning time. Freestanding baths, while beautiful, are difficult and time-consuming to clean due to the amount of space surrounding them. Masters outlines three alternatives:
- Back-to-wall baths are preferable over freestanding baths, as there&#;s no gap behind the bath that can collect dust and debris.
- Corner baths are even better, eliminating gaps between the bath and walls on multiple sides.
- Built-in baths offer the best solution, with zero gaps around the bath, which significantly minimises the need for cleaning. These can be tiled beautifully to look modern.
5. Choose under-mount or integrated basins
"Under-mount or integrated basins are the easiest to clean, as there are no raised edges where dirt, water, or soap can accumulate," advised Masters.
"These designs make it simple to wipe down the countertop and basin in one smooth motion, reducing the time and effort needed to keep them spotless."
6. Install partition or nib walls instead of shower glass
Glass shower screens are notoriously difficult to clean, a place that attracts soap scum, water stains, and fingerprints. Reducing or eliminating glass in your bathroom design can dramatically cut down on cleaning.
"Consider using a tiled partition wall instead of a full glass shower screen, which eliminates the need to clean glass altogether," explained Masters. These work best in bathrooms with windows and natural light.
Installing a partition wall instead of glass in the shower means never having to deal with soap scum and misty glass again, and back-to-wall toilets are a better cleaning option. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
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"Ensure you are not blocking natural light by enclosing your shower space with a partition wall. If you do lose natural light and don't have a skylight, you could consider a feature LED ceiling recessed strip light."
A partition wall will work better in spaces with more light, but if you're worried, there is a clever alternative that provides the best of both worlds.
"Alternatively, a half-height nib wall with glass on the upper half is a better option than full-length glass, as soap scum tends to collect more at the bottom. These are great as they don't block natural light," said Masters.
7. Avoid high-maintenance finishes
Certain finishes, while visually appealing, can be harder to maintain in a bathroom environment, and will impact the longevity of your space.
"Natural stone surfaces often require regular sealing to prevent staining and water damage, adding an extra layer of maintenance and cost. If using natural stone, be prepared to maintain and clean it often," said Masters.
While natural stone benchtops and tiles, such as marble or travertine, look beautiful, they're expensive and fragile. If not sealed properly and regularly, they will absorb moisture and stains, and are prone to chipping and cracking.
Porcelain is the most hardy tile option, followed by ceramic.
"Brushed finishes on tapware can also show fingerprints or watermarks more easily than polished options, requiring more frequent cleaning. If you prefer brushed finishes, just be prepared for the added care they may need."
Masters and her team find matte, chrome and stainless steel finishes timeless and easily cleaned.
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8. Install a handheld shower head
The trend of foregoing a handheld shower head with hose in favour of a sole fixed shower head and mixer is one Masters does not recommend.
"A handheld shower head is not only convenient for personal use but is also a great tool for cleaning. You can easily rinse down shower walls, floors, and corners, washing away soap scum and dirt more effectively. It&#;s a simple addition that makes a big difference in keeping your shower clean," explained Masters.
9. Favour wall-mounted fixtures
Not only are wall-mounted fixtures minimal and sleek, suiting an array of bathroom design styles, they're a dream when it comes to cleaning.
"Wall-mounted faucets and tapware are much easier to clean than countertop-mounted fixtures," said Masters.
"They free up space on counters below, allowing you to easily wipe down surfaces without obstructions. Wall-mounted fixtures also prevent water buildup around the base, which is a common area for grime and mould."
(L)Integrated basins remove the need to clean around the outside, and wall-mounted tapware prevents pooling at the base causing grime; (R) If you're short on natural light but want a partition wall in the shower, LED ceilings can solve lighting issues. Picture: Supplied.
10. Ensure good ventilation
Good ventilation is key to reducing moisture build up, which can lead to mould and mildew.
"Proper ventilation helps keep your bathroom dry and fresh," said Masters.
"Installing a strong exhaust fan or incorporating a new window will improve air circulation and minimise the need for deep cleaning in the long term."
Which toilet design is easiest to clean?
While you may spend much of your life seated on one, you likely don't ponder toilet design too deeply. Some design styles create space between the base and wall, making them awkward to clean. It's best to avoid and go for a back-to-wall design, eliminating unnecessary crevices.
"Our default is a classic good quality back-to-wall closed coupled toilet as these are easy to clean and easy to fix in the event anything happens," said Masters.
Newer-style in-wall cistern models look contemporary, but they can be problematic from a maintenance perspective as you won't be able to easily access the main parts that sit within the wall.
Another trend in toilets are rimless toilets, which don't require the rim or lip that traditional models have where water runs down the side of the bowl during flush. Instead, the rimless toilet flushing system shoots water towards the edge and around the toilet bowl, sweeping a larger surface area. They're more hygienic and require less cleaning.
Therefore, the easiest-to-clean toilet option would be a back-to-wall closed couple rimless toilet suite.
But Masters' favourite? Japanese Toto toilets, if budget permits. They have multiple cleaning settings, and many models offer a bidet function.
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