10 Common Items That Ruin the Look of Your Bathroom

Along with the kitchen, the bathroom is the hallmark of the apartment. Although we spend much less time there than in other rooms, a cozy and functional bathroom can set the mood for the whole day. After all, the first thing we do in the morning is go in there to wash our face, and before going to bed, we brush our teeth in there.

We at Bright Side really value convenience and comfort. That’s why, today, we have prepared an article about things that prevent our bathrooms from becoming a feel-good place.

1. Poor-quality soap dish

When we get closer to the sink, we pay attention to the soap dish almost right away. We use it every day, and this item is constantly being influenced by both water and soap. So there is every reason to choose a soap dish made of quality material. We don’t recommend using plastic — it’s not a natural material, and scratches quickly appear on it. Glass and wood look stylish, but wood doesn’t last long and glass gets dirty quickly. We recommend choosing a metal or ceramic soap dish.

2. Carpet made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

These carpets are usually very inexpensive and come in wide rolls so you can cut them just the way you need to. And they also delight us with a huge variety of colors. However, PVC doesn’t absorb water, their period of service is short, and they look at their price. A better solution would be to purchase a cotton rug (their base is rubberized, and they absorb water from the outside) or a bamboo mat. Cotton rugs look stylish, and they’re usually dyed in soft pastel colors. And the mats, on top of the fact that they absorb and evaporate water well, are very wear-resistant.

3. No toilet paper holder

This problem is probably familiar to many of us — we are either too busy to finally hang the holder, or one of our housemates repeatedly places the toilet paper roll where it’s convenient for them. But paper sitting on a shelf or on a toilet tank makes the room untidy. In the meantime, the choice for toilet paper holders is almost infinite — plastic, metal, or wooden holders; holders with or without lids; holders that are installed on a wall or on the floor; and holders with suction cups (you can change their location however you like). The toilet paper roll won’t get dirty, dusty, or wet from water when it’s in the holder, and you’ll avoid the risk of having it fall on the floor.

4. A faded shower curtain

A worn-out shower curtain doesn’t just kill the coziness in the bathroom, but it can also make a truly repulsive impression. That’s why it’s very important to not forget to wash it regularly. It isn’t difficult to do — to wash ordinary plastic curtains, experts advise adding a capful of detergent, baking soda, a few drops of tea tree oil, and put it in the washing machine on delicate mode.

A little life hack — when choosing a curtain, we advise you to give preference to curtains with weights along the bottom edge. This way, they won’t bend and you won’t accidentally splash water on the floor.

5. Bottles around the edges of the bathtub

It may be difficult to put numerous jars and bottles in their place. But even when it does happen, the result is usually very temporary, and soon they end up being lined up along the edges of the bathtub again. Why? Because it’s convenient. But it’s not very pretty. Even an expensive tonic from a world-famous brand will lose its appeal if you put it in the corner of the bathtub with a bunch of other hygiene products. It is better to install a shelf for all of the necessary bottles and put those that are rarely used in a cabinet.

6. Bathtub corners

The junction of the wall and the bathtub is an extremely problematic place, and everyone can see this area. Many people are used to using plastic corners to protect their bathroom against moisture and dirt. They are cheap and very easy to use. But these corners are only good at first, because over time, they change color, peel off, and fall off. And the water gets into the gaps, a fungus can easily form, and an unpleasant odor can appear. An alternative is to use a sealant or ceramic trim (it also comes in marble or granite).

7. Overly bright tile

When buying bathroom tile, it’s very easy to get carried away and suddenly choose a very colorful pattern. Moreover, the choice on the market is incredibly wide, from huge samples stylized as marble to acidic pink mosaic. It may be difficult to combine a bright color on the walls with the rest of the bathroom interior, and sometimes, the excessive abundance of colors in a small room can cause some issues with your eyes. An expert tip — look for tiles that mimic natural materials, like wood or stone.

8. Ropes for drying clothes

Ropes stretched across the room with clothing drying on them are a dubious decoration for the bathroom. And it goes without saying that in the wettest room of the home, clothes dry much slower. If the apartment doesn’t have a balcony, a washing machine with a drying function, a separate automatic dryer, or, if for some reason this is not suitable, a drying rack can become an alternative. Fortunately, there are many drying racks on the market that come in various sizes and materials. For example, an economical wooden one looks pretty stylish.

9. Glossy tile on the floor

If we look down at our feet in the bathroom, we are likely to see it. However, glossy tile on the floor is far from the best solution. It gets dirty easily, and stains appear on it very quickly. But the most important thing is that it’s slippery, and putting it under your feet is not just unappealing, it’s also unsafe. Yes, the gloss has the ability to visually enlarge the room. But designers still advise choosing matte tile because it isn’t slippery and looks stylish.

10. Plastic access panels

Access panels are mostly made of plastic and painted a bright white. Unfortunately, this immediately makes the panel stand out in the room and attract attention. It can be repainted, but it won’t be possible to make it “disappear” completely. And the white color of the panel often turns into an unpleasant yellowish one over time. How do you solve this problem? If you look around, you can find other models in construction stores. For example, you can come across panels that can be covered with paint or that look like tile, with hinged or sliding doors. They don’t look like the ones we’re used to, but they’re functional and look as neutral as possible in the interior.

What do you think about these bathroom details? Would you add anything to our list?