Hate cleaning? Design tips that will make your bathroom a dream to maintain

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. 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.

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. 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. 

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, 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 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.

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. 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. These work best in bathrooms with windows and natural light.

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. 

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.

8. Install a handheld shower head

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.

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. 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.

10. Ensure good ventilation

Good ventilation is key to reducing moisture build up, which can lead to mould and mildew. 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.