Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Things We All Hate In the Bathroom . . .

Double vanity with round, backlit mirrors.

. . . and Bathroom Solutions

If you’ve fallen in the toilet in the middle of the night because someone forgot to put the seat down or found yourself with an empty toilet paper roll and no replacement within reach, this post is for you. 

There are a handful (or two) of things in the bathroom that can get annoying pretty fast. But, there are solutions. You might be surprised just how easy it is to fix most bathroom problems. Come with us and discover some simple and quick bathroom solutions to end your battles in the bathroom.


Large, white freestanding bathtub with chrome faucet.


Loose Toilet Seat

A shifty toilet seat isn’t only irritating, it’s also a bit of a hazard. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to fix. All you have to do is tighten the nuts and bolts that hold the seat in place. 

Solution: 

Put the seat down and look for the two bumps at the back of the seat (these are covers for the bolts). Remove the covers then use a flathead screwdriver to hold the bolts in place while you tighten the nuts on the underside of the toilet bowl. Get more details in this article or video.

Now that you know how easy it is to tighten a toilet seat, if you ever want to replace your seat, you can make a Saturday DIY project of it. Shop for a new seat!


Toilet Seat Up

This is probably the worst thing about sharing a bathroom. Toilet seats in the up position don’t look good, nor do they help bathroom functionality.

Solution: 

Invest in a new self-closing toilet seat. Just like an auto-flush toilet, these seats close softly on their own (or by remote control). Check out your options.


Empty Toilet Paper Roll

It’s the stuff of nightmares: you’re left with no TP and there’s no replacement roll in sight. Whether you’re a guest or in your own home, this is a situation you want to avoid at all costs.

Solution: 

There are several simple solutions to this bathroom problem. Place a basket on the back of the toilet with refills. Add a small storage cabinet within reach of the toilet filled with toilet paper. Get a freestanding or wall-mounted toilet paper holder so you can buy the extra large rolls


White bathroom with double vanity and freestanding tub.


Smells

Smells happen. Annoying as a lingering smell is, sometimes it doesn’t seem like there’s much you can do about it besides cover up the smell. Ready for a better solution?

Solution: 

Bathroom fans don’t cover up smells, they move them out. It’s essentially an exhaust fan for the bathroom. Now that’s a real solution. Shop for bathroom exhaust fans. 


Forgetting to Flush

There’s nothing more delightful than walking into your bathroom and discovering that somebody forgot to flush. Besides the yelling and threats, there’s something you can do to get rid of this problem forever. 

Solution: 

Auto-flushing toilets are a great solution. This is not the industrial version you’re familiar with in public restrooms. Residential versions are gentler, even water-saving but still get the job done. Many have bidet type features that keep the toilet fresh constantly. Check out auto-flush toilets.


Low Light

The bathroom is a place where plenty of light is needed for everything from removing a splinter to applying makeup. Even proper cleaning can be hard to do without enough light.

Solutions: 

Adding light to the bathroom has varying levels of complexity to install. If you simply add a lighted mirror to your vanity, that probably won’t require much time or money. Or you can install new sconces or vanity bars/strips, which will require some remodeling. If you’re doing a full remodel, consider skylights, so you always have some natural light. 


Large bathroom with wet room and tile mosaic wall.


Not Enough Storage

If you have a small bathroom, you know the pain. Just enough room for the bathroom basics leaves you with nowhere to store towels, shampoos, etc. Not quite sure how to get more storage out of your bathroom?

Solution: 

Get a vanity with a cabinet beneath the sink. Or install a medicine cabinet. Wall-mounted cabinets or shelves are excellent over the toilet where you have unused space. If your issue isn’t necessarily space, but simply a lack of built-in storage, add a freestanding linen tower or shelves.


Badly-Placed Towel Rods

Not being able to reach towels from the shower or tub is the worst. Luckily the problem is pretty easily solved.

Solution: 

Moving or installing a towel rod involves placing a few screws and attaching the brackets—a fairly simple DIY project. Even easier is a freestanding towel rack. Hooks have a similar installation process to rods and take up barely any wall space. If you’d like to splurge a little, go for a towel warmer—not only will you be able to reach your towel, it will be nice and toasty.


Useless Bathtub

If you’re not much of a bath-taker, you may see the tub as wasted space. Or maybe you have an older jetted tub that you don’t dare use because who knows what’s growing deep in those jets?

Solution: 

Many people are getting rid of their bathtubs in favor of spa-like showers or wet rooms. This gives you the space to install multiple showerheads, luxurious rain showerheads, body jets, etc. Jetted tubs today don’t have the issues the older tubs have (they circulate air) so a new one may solve the problem. 


Whatever it is you hate most about your bathroom, now’s a great time to fix it. For little money and time, you can get rid of those pesky bathroom problems. 

Want more ideas for quick and easy updates you can make to the bathroom? 


Upgrades Under $100