What is the Easiest Shower Surface to Keep Clean?

A bathroom is one of the areas in the house that take lots of beating from extensive use of water, soap, and scratching. For this reason, the surfaces should be made of materials that are not just water-resistant, but also easy to clean. Although all surfaces are easy to clean, if maintained well, some are naturally hectic to clean than others. This article looks at some easy to clean shower surfaces.

• Glass

Glass is among the easiest to clean shower surfaces since you just need a good glass cleaner. The best thing is that glass makes a smaller bathroom appear larger than it is, especially when it runs from the floor to the ceiling. Glass comes in many colors and designs and you can choose a color that matches your desired theme. The problem with glass is a little expensive and hard to install, hence you will need an expert to do the job. Although glass will still show signs of foam and scum, it will be easy to clean with lots of water and a good glass cleaner.

• Acrylic and Fiberglass

These two are some of the best shower surfaces since they are cheap; made of recycled plastics, paper, and glass. They are among the easiest to clean since they come in a single sheet, hence eliminating the use of grout, which is not just hard to clean but also a perfect breeding grounds for mold and mildew. You also do not need to add a sealant, since they are readily water and bacteria resistant. The only problem with acrylic is that you have to add a silicone caulk along its edges, in which case fiberglass is a good replacement for acrylic since this one does not need caulk. When properly installed, these will give you quite a long service without the need for maintenance and repairs. However, great care should be taken when dealing with these two, otherwise, they will scratch easily. Their glossy surface makes it easier to clean these surfaces, and all you need is just water and a soft piece of cloth.

• Laminate

Laminate comes in a wide variety of designs and colors so that you can choose one that resonates with your unique style and taste. Some colors and designs mimic the rustic natural stone, providing you with the look and feel of stone, while still bypassing the drawbacks that come with stone. The best thing is that it is among the easiest to clean surface since it comes as a single pane, doing away with grout. The large pane is also easy to install, and you can do it by yourself.

• Tile and Porcelain

Although tile is one of the cheapest shower surfaces, it is a little hectic to clean because of grout. This is because you have to keep replacing the grout, otherwise, it will harbor mold and mildew which are the leading cause for allergies. To eliminate this problem, you could have the tiles in a large sheet. Alternatively, you can use porcelain; this is similar to a tile in terms of material but it is usually larger than tile. For this reason, it eliminates grout, which is so hard to clean. To clean porcelain, you just need a piece of cloth and lots of water. The only drawback with these two is that you will need to apply a sealant to make them water-resistant since they are highly porous.

• Marble and Granite

These two make the best shower surfaces since they bring the natural rustic look and feel. Although they are highly porous, they can be made water-resistant by applying a sealant, in which cleaning becomes so easy. However, you will need to keep replacing the sealant. Failure to do this, water will keep seeping in.

Bathrooms are some of the most financially demanding rooms in a house. With this in mind, you do not want to invest so much money with an easy to clean and expensive surface and end up installing it the wrong way. For that reason, call in a contractor to do the work for you if you know you are not handy or are not sure of what you are doing. You might decide to do it to save money for hiring a contractor, but end up using so much money with maintenance and repairs going forward. The good thing about contractors is that on top of doing the job well, they will also offer expert advice on the available surface options.