How to Care for Your Bathroom Furniture and Prevent Water Damage

Want your bathroom furniture to last long and look like new for years to come? It is only possible when you care for your bathroom cabinet and vanity units.

In this blog, I will share a few tips to protect your bathroom cabinets from moisture and prevent water damage.

Why Caring for Bathroom Furniture is Important?

It goes without saying that you should clean your bathroom cabinet, vanity unit or WC unit. But the way you clean it and the products you use have a big impact on how long they will last. If You want bathroom furniture to look new for a long, then stay away from detergents and cleaning chemicals

Looking after your bathroom cabinets will bring you several benefits.

Aesthetics

The purpose of furniture is not to provide storage only but to enhance overall looks too. If you do not look after it properly, then its appearance will not be preserved. You can keep vanity units looking like new, which will enhance the overall feel and look of the bathroom too. So, it is a way to ensure it looks good and functions properly.

Long Life and Durability

It is no secret that well-looked-after bathroom furniture will last longer. If you follow a regular cleaning regime, then it will prevent wear and tear while preventing any damage too. Therefore, it can be an easy way to enhance the life span of your cabinets.

Hygiene 

Another reason why cleaning bathroom cabinets is important is hygiene. A regular maintenance routine will prevent mould and mildew from damaging the vanity unit. In addition to that, the spread of germs promotes good hygiene.

Safety

A bathroom cabinet, vanity unit, or WC unit not cared for can be a safety risk. A classic example of it can be a loose shelf that can fall and cause injury.

So, caring for furniture is important for the longevity, appearance, and hygiene of your bathroom, as well as for the safety of those who use it.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Bathroom Furniture

Here are a few tips that you can follow for cleaning and maintaining your bathroom furniture.

1. Use Appropriate Cleaning Products. One of the most important things that should be in your mind while looking after your furniture is to use appropriate cleaning products. Many people make a mistake while using anything available cleaner for their bathroom furniture or choose one made with harsh chemicals. As a result, not only do bathroom cabinets start losing their original colour, but they are also prone to more damage.
2. Avoid Harsh Chemicals. Markets in the UK are flooded with various types of chemical-based cleaning products. However, these chemicals may quickly make the surface look clean but will be damaging over time. What you can use is make your own organic cleaner. A simple mix of vinegar, baking soda, and lemon mixed in water can be enough to clean the cabinet surface. You may add a bit of an oil-based cleaning liquid for the sink unit on the top of the vanity while using the mixture.
3. Use Soft clothes. You may not realize that the choice of cleaning cloth can impact the surface of your vanity sink unit. If you choose the wrong piece of cloth, then it may create a minor scratch on the glossy surface that may look very bad.

How To Prevent Water Damage?

Looking after your bathroom furniture is limited to cleaning but also involves preventing it from humidity, which is the biggest cause of mould and mildew resulting in damage. So, technically, depending on the vanity unit material, you should prevent direct exposure to water and humidity. One way is to reduce humidity in the bathroom is to use an exhaust or extractor fan. So, turn your exhaust fan on every time you are done with the shower. It will prevent your bathroom furniture.

1. Reduce  The Humidity in the Bathroom.  Higher levels of humidity are a significant cause of bathroom cabinet damage in the UK. Here is how to tackle it.
2. Use an extractor Fan. One of the most common, budget-friendly, and efficient methods of reducing the humidity in the bathroom is using an exhaust fan. If you don’t have one, install it and turn it on during and after showers to reduce moisture levels.
3. Invest in a dehumidifier: Dehumidifiers can also be an effective solution. But they may consume more energy to work and will not expel the humid air.
4. Seal Your Cabinets. You should not install a bathroom vanity unit without waterproofing it. This will help prevent water damage in a damp environment. Follow these tips to seal/waterproof your furniture.
5. Use waterproof sealants like damp-proof paints (available at hardware or paint store)
6. The sealant should be applied annually in highly humid environments in the UK.
7. Fix Leaks Immediately: If there are leaks in the bathroom, you must immediately fix them, or they may cause significant damage over time. Also, check the pipes and seals of vanity units periodically to ensure there are no parts requiring replacement. Experts recommend using leak protection products such as Leak alarms to catch the issue earlier. Additionally, you must inspect the bathroom plumbing after every six months.
8. Choose the Moist resistant Materials. The material you choose for the bathroom vanity unit plays a crucial role in durability and longevity.

Here we have a short table explaining bathroom vanity unit materials.

• Place Vanity Units at Appropriate Positions. Though most bathroom vanity units are made with moisture-resistant materials, you will still need to make sure that humidity levels are reduced as much as possible. And in order to prevent exposure to water or water splashes, the bathroom cabinets should be placed in an appropriate place.
•  Prevent Scratches and Marks. You will also need to prevent scratches and marks on the bathroom furniture surface. It will require you to be careful while moving the vanity units. Not to place any liquid inside or o top of the surface. In case you have something spilled over, immediately clean the surface to prevent damage. How much liquid can harm your furniture surface depends on its type.

Ending Thoughts

Bathroom furniture comes in various materials. The damage it may get from the humidity or direct water exposure varies depending on that. The way you should look after your vanity units does not differ significantly. It is important to be careful while cleaning and not to use harsh chemicals, take measures to prevent water damage, and make sure it is kept safe place.

Images supplied. Feature image courtesy of pexels.com

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