Once you’ve bought your new home, the motivation to make it even more perfect can be insatiable.
Having already fallen in love with your property, it will only take you a few weeks to begin to see where it can be improved to suit your lifestyle and taste.
When it comes to making any big changes, don’t be in a hurry. It’s best to live in the property for at least six months to identify and prioritise any changes or renovations.
Two areas of your early focus are likely to be the kitchen and bathrooms.
Giving these some TLC so they feel brand new can make a difference.
A problem common to almost every home is the blackening of silicone seal and white grout where water gathers around sinks and the edges of a shower or bath.
Blackening occurs when water is not wiped away consistently, allowing bacteria to grow. This discolouration is common to almost every home, and it’s aided by a mixture of oils in soap and skin being released by warm or hot water.
Returning grout to its original colour is not easy, and can be remedied by chiselling out the filler and replacing it completely.
Here are four tips to revitalise your grout and seals:
Regular cleaning – We all live busy lives, and we don’t always clean our homes as often as we’d like. If wet areas are neglected for even a week, mould will begin to grow, especially in warmer weather.
Always rinse – After a shower or bath, rinse the area rather than simply dry yourself off and leave soapy residue on the tiles, grout and silicone seals. This will reduce the need to clean regularly.
Absence factor – If you’re absent from your home for more than a few days, it’s a good idea to wipe down these problem areas with a cleaning solution and dry the area thoroughly before your departure. This should stop bacteria growing in any soap residue during your absence.
Right tools – A non-scratch, scrub cloth and a grout brush (or stiff toothbrush) are essential. Cleaning solutions should be for the bathroom. A multipurpose spray isn’t sufficiently powerful. You can also make your own solutions. You can go down the bleach path or use vinegar if you want to be more environmentally conscious.
DIY project – If you’re still experiencing problems, use a grout tool to clean out the stained filler and silicone and replace it. It’s a pretty simple job, and there are many YouTube videos to guide you.