Nothing kills the mood of a refreshing bath after a long day (or for that matter, an energizing shower to start one) faster than the sight of mold. Or a delay in warm water. Or a damp towel. The fact is this: So many factors can cramp what should be a relaxing retreat. Fortunately, these 10 quick fixes can help you go back to enjoying your next shower—and maybe even make it a long one.
Stop Your Curtain from Clinging
The days of shower curtains blowing in during a shower are over. Switch to a weighted curtain—or DIY one of your own. You can use heavy-duty magnets (smaller ones will slide) to hold the bottom of the curtain to the side of your tub, or take a handful of binder clips and attach them, evenly spaced, along the edge.
Switch out your linens
A new set of towels somehow has the amazing ability to jumpstart any bathroom makeover (maybe that’s just me?). Go for a nice spring color option, or stick to neutrals with some bright whites.
Update your bath mats/rugs
Old bath mats are, well, gross. Wash and donate the old one and go for something a little more eye-catching. There are so many fun bath mats out there these days, but I typically go the refined route for textiles…even bath mats.
Introduce some greenery
Okay, okay…I’m aware that the whole houseplant trend has the ability to go from fresh and bright to an episode of Hoarders (plant edition) real quick. Good thing the bathrooms are generally small!
Increase the Shower’s Water Pressure
For better water pressure, first, loosen mineral deposits that could be clogging the flow. Unscrew the showerhead and soak in a bowl of boiling water and ½ cup of vinegar for 10 minutes. If you can’t remove the head, fill a plastic bag with full-strength vinegar and tape it over the fixture. Let it sit for an hour, then remove.
Enable Showertime Karaoke
For all of the amplification power without any of the additional tech, slip your smartphone or MP3 player (speaker end down) into a ceramic mug and set it on a ledge in the bathroom. The sound will fill the room, and you’ll be ready to rock with accompaniment to your favorite tunes.
Sort Out Shower Gels
The neck of your shower head is the obvious place to hang a basket of shampoo and body wash, but leaves your supplies sopping wet—and you with an eyeful when going in to grab face wash. No more. Install a towel hook at the opposite end of the shower for a more convenient spot to hang your basket.
Always Have a (Dry) Towel in Reach
A second rod outside your shower curtain puts your towel in better reach and frees up wall space for additional storage. Create this placement using an extra tension rod, or replace your current rod altogether with a double rod.
Prevent Mold Naturally
Follow every shower with a splash of this natural, aromatic cleanser and say goodbye to mildew. Mix up 1 tsp. tea tree oil with 1 cup of water, fill a spray bottle and spritz around the tub. Let air-dry, and enjoy the lingering pine smell. Also leave the bathroom door open to promote better air circulation.
Remove Rust Stains
Does Spot rust ring leftover where a metal can of shaving cream often sit? Remove all bottles from the area, then dip half of a cut lemon in salt and use it to scrub the affected area—you’ll soon see it disappear. When moving items back into place, flip your shaving cream can on its head to store without leaving future rings.
Brighten Grout
Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, then scrub into tile grout using a sturdy toothbrush. Covering a lot of ground? Consider fixing a small wooden scrub brush to the end of your electric drill for serious power. When your work is dry (and now bright), seal the grout.
Dust Out Your Exhaust Fan
Help your bathroom’s exhaust fan do its job sucking moisture out of the air post-shower (and preventing mold) by wiping out collected dust and towel lint once in a while. Flip off the circuit breaker to the bathroom, then remove and suds up the vent cover. Vacuum any excess inside the fan using your machine’s brush attachment.
