Scrub up on bathroom maintenance: tips to help prevent damage

Typically, your bathroom will be sealed off from the rest of your home by a waterproof layer. If this layer breaks or wears out, water will be able to escape. This can cause significant damage to your walls.

Luckily there are two ways to test for this without cutting into your walls. The first and most obvious is that the paint in your bathroom will start to bubble or peel away as moisture builds up beneath it.

The second way to check for escaped water is to knock on your tiles. If your knock sounds hollow, it could be because your bathroom’s sprung a leak, and your tiles are coming loose.

Replacing the waterproofing layer in a bathroom is a specialist job. Each state has its own rules around who can make the repairs and how they should be done.

If your waterproofing has worn out, you’ll need to speak to a qualified professional about getting new waterproofing installed.

Slow drainage isn’t just annoying, it could also mean your pipes are clogged, broken, or being invaded by tree roots. While a simple clog is usually an easy fix, broken pipes are a much bigger problem.

It can also be difficult to tell the two apart without professional help, but there are some clues to point you in the right direction. For instance, mould on your walls or a sewage smell in your home can be caused by burst pipes. So can indents and even green patches in your yard.

Everyday clogs can typically be fixed without help from a plumber. Start by checking to see if anything has fallen into the drain and caused a blockage. If so, assess whether you can remove it on your own.

If there’s nothing there, you can try using drain cleaner from your local supermarket. Be sure to always follow the instructions carefully as drain cleaning chemicals can be very dangerous when used incorrectly.

Remember to check that the drain cleaner you’ve chosen is the right one for the drain you’re trying to unclog. These powerful chemicals can also damage pipes if poured down the wrong drain.

Speaking of broken pipes, if your slow drainage is caused by leaking or ruptured pipes, you’ll need to ask a certified plumber to make the necessary repairs.

Mould and mildew are both kinds of fungi that love to grow in moist, still environments. As a result, they’re a good indicator of leaks or poor ventilation.

They’re also bad for your health. You’ll need to remove any mould you find in addition to fixing the underlying moisture problems.

There are several ways to remove mould, including commercially available anti-mould sprays or even white vinegar that you might already have in your pantry. You’ll also need a brush to scrape the mould off the walls.

If you’re using a mould spray from the shops, simply follow the instructions on the packaging. Make sure you wear gloves and eye protection to prevent contact with mould spores. Mould can be dangerous if inhaled.

If you’re using white vinegar instead, it’s usually a good idea to firstly do a spot test on your walls. This is to make sure the vinegar won’t also stain or damage them.

If you’re happy with the results of the spot test, you can go ahead and apply the vinegar to the mouldy areas. You can be generous with the vinegar here. Be sure to leave it on for an hour before scrubbing the mould away with your brush and some warm water.

Once you’ve removed the mould, leave the wall to dry out for a couple of hours.

Don’t mix your vinegar with bleach or apply one on top of the other when trying to clean your bathroom. This can create extremely dangerous chlorine gas that can burn your eyes, mouth and lungs.