will I have a tile shower. Nearly impossible to clean. No way am I going to use a tooth brush to clean the grout. As soon as I can afford it, it will be removed and replaced with a fiberglass shell. I should have known better.....
Never again...
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southernbuck101
Single-Sixer
Just get a galvanized drinking trough, and some hole saws
Little pricey for what they are lately, in my opinion, but will last forever
Little pricey for what they are lately, in my opinion, but will last forever
Got to agree with the OP on this one. We had a custom tiled shower put in with a glass door several years ago. Big mistake. Besides the grout cleaning, there are also hard water stains on the glass, almost impossible to get off. It looked great when first installed but looks like crap now. I'd recommend one of those fiberglass (or whatever they're made of) one-piece (or a few large pieces) shower enclosures that are easily cleaned coupled with a shower curtain.
I got home one evening, to my apartment (which was unoccupied all day) and found the bathroom and shower floor covered with a zillion little square chunks of shattered glass. It seems that the shower door had a flaw in it, and fortunately it blew up when I wasn’t bare nekkid and sudsed up in the shower. 
This can’t happen with a shower curtain.
And, yeah, I detest my current tiled tub enclosure with its grody grout.
I had an outdoor shower when we were on the ranch in central Texas. The grout never got cruddy. And the limestone walls were zero maintenance. I used it year-round. In cold weather it was “invigorating”.
This can’t happen with a shower curtain.And, yeah, I detest my current tiled tub enclosure with its grody grout.
I had an outdoor shower when we were on the ranch in central Texas. The grout never got cruddy. And the limestone walls were zero maintenance. I used it year-round. In cold weather it was “invigorating”.
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bobski
Hunter
glass door baths were the rage in the 70's. seems no one ever figured out how to get the crud out of the rolling tracks. many just went back to a draw curtain.
tile is a sign of wealth.
not because its tile, but because there was a day when people could afford house cleaners to do the dirty work for them.
just like lawns.
tile is a sign of wealth.
not because its tile, but because there was a day when people could afford house cleaners to do the dirty work for them.
just like lawns.
Never a problem with either of our two tile showers... but then I don't clean them.. also, it might be because when I built them I used dark grey grout.
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The film noir actor Charles McGraw died when he slipped in the shower and fell through the glass door. He severed an artery and died before paramedics got to him. When I remodeled my bathroom in 2005 I took out the bathtub that the house was built around literally and replaced it with a seated fiberglass shower. Instead of a standard shower curtain rod I used a piece of 316 stainless steel pipe and mounted it higher than a normal rod. We use an extra long shower curtain and it works out well. The rest of the bathroom is tile which I hired done by a professional tile setter. The ceiling is actually tongue and groove oak flooring and the entire backing board is concrete instead of green board. The lighting is on 2 separate circuits which are both hooked into the emergency generator system. The house is a keeper that I owe less than $10K on so this is home for the rest of my life.
I was taught as a kid to always wipe down the tile walls when I finished taking a shower; that was over 70 years ago. I'm guessing that this has contributed (along with normal maintenance/cleaning) to keeping my showers (and grout too) clean and long lasting. I also used tile/grout 'sealer/silicon' when they were new (and again 'sometimes' freshly scrubbed). I'm getting too old to really scrub those babies anymore so I may move to a new house someday.. 
.
J.
.J.
A cleaning woman can be your friend. We have a lady who comes over every Friday. Dirty grout?
And those fiberglass enclosures will most likely lower your property value significantly more than the cost of a cleaning service to get that grout clean.
And those fiberglass enclosures will most likely lower your property value significantly more than the cost of a cleaning service to get that grout clean.
Our master bath has walk in shower about 4 foot by 5 foot tiled. It is more of a pain in the butt to keep looking
good. We keep a silicone squeegee in it and swipe it most of the time, floor still gets soap/human scum on it pretty quick
and needs scrubbing about weekly. I keep telling my wife I'm going to order a bunch of 316 stainless steel sheet and fab
a solid SS shower stall. Of course I have to tear down half the house to install it. Our hall bath has a full fiberglass type
tub and shower combination, nice rounded corners etc...much easier to keep clean of course it gets little use.
good. We keep a silicone squeegee in it and swipe it most of the time, floor still gets soap/human scum on it pretty quick
and needs scrubbing about weekly. I keep telling my wife I'm going to order a bunch of 316 stainless steel sheet and fab
a solid SS shower stall. Of course I have to tear down half the house to install it. Our hall bath has a full fiberglass type
tub and shower combination, nice rounded corners etc...much easier to keep clean of course it gets little use.
No cleaning people in our house.... Just our humble opinion !!
But, YES, if you want to have folks clean for you, it does make life easier I'm told.
(Just be careful about security.... esp. if you have guns in the house.....
J
But, YES, if you want to have folks clean for you, it does make life easier I'm told.
(Just be careful about security.... esp. if you have guns in the house
.....J
About five or six years after we had our house built woke up in the middle of the night from a loud "crash" in the master bathroom.
Got up to see what the %^$& happened and stepped on something sharp. We had a mirror installed all across the vanity top
and above one end of the whirlpool tub. The thing is about 4 foot tall and close to nine feet long. Was originally just installed with
adhesive over the "green board " backing, no mechanical back up fasteners. Apparently the adhesive failed and the mirror just fell
over. New mirror now has some SS tabs to back up the glue.
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Very true. We’ve had the same lady and her sister now for about 5 years. During the Pandemic when they couldn’t come, we still paid them weekly. They have a key to the house and when they come, I usually leave and take the dogs for a walk.No cleaning people in our house.... Just our humble opinion !!
But, YES, if you want to have folks clean for you, it does make life easier I'm told.
(Just be careful about security.... esp. if you have guns in the house
J
Oh, and they don’t clean my computer/gun room.
I can see the attraction of that idea, but my 94 year old mother would come and beat my ass with a broom if she found out I was too
busy/lazy to clean up after myself. Luckily my wife was raised the same way, both our pig like tendencies were squashed at an early
age. We do OK most of the time.
contender
Ruger Guru
When Miss Penny decided that I needed to remodel the guest bathroom, I had a say in what I used to work with. At first,, she wanted tile & grout. I refused,,for the very reasons of cleaning the grout. She countered with the "use a sealer" argument. I told her "no" that it too wouldn't last long enough for us to outlive it's life. Then, I applied the last nail in the coffin.
I had our good friend, a contractor who's helped us with much of our work here come over. HE told her that tile & such was nice, and would do good if properly sealed for about 10-12 years. Then he mentioned the cost for a real pro to do the tile. (I'm not skilled in it.)
I won the argument,, and no tile was used.
She likes the look of the remodel.
I had our good friend, a contractor who's helped us with much of our work here come over. HE told her that tile & such was nice, and would do good if properly sealed for about 10-12 years. Then he mentioned the cost for a real pro to do the tile. (I'm not skilled in it.)
I won the argument,, and no tile was used.
She likes the look of the remodel.
We’ve remodeled the master bathroom in the last 2 houses we lived in. I can’t stand contractor grade tub surrounds. Many don’t fit flush to the wall which means no grab bars. I suppose if you really go cheap and use flat sheets of fiberglass you can. Typically when people remodel that room they are taking out the tub and have a nice walk in shower. The first one I used full sheets of solid surface material, glued on to cementitous backer board. With stainless grab bars. No grout whatsoever. The 3 joints had strips of the solid surface material glued over the seams to prevent any leaking through the seams. Been so long I don’t remember what we used for the door. The key piece to any bathroom remodel is the shower base. I used fitted bases.
The last house we lived in we used a very nice tile that was 12X24. Tile gives you the option of various colors. Now days solid surface does as well, but not back then. I prefer the tile or whatever material to go all the way to the ceiling. We got lucky and found a 42”X 60” base. Took a hard drill bit to drill through the tile for the grab bars. Then used the same solid surface countertop in both bathrooms.
The door was a heavy tempered glass swinging door so you don’t have to worry about tracks.
We kept a squeegee in the shower to get rid of the water on the tile and the door. If you stay up with it, you don’t have to deal with the mold so much. The ladies that came in to clean every couple of weeks, when they noticed any mold, used a steam cleaner and it was like new. Never had to use it on the glass door.
It not only increases the value of the house but nicer touches makes it more desirable to a buyer.
Now I have to decide what I’m going to do with the shower in the current house.
The last house we lived in we used a very nice tile that was 12X24. Tile gives you the option of various colors. Now days solid surface does as well, but not back then. I prefer the tile or whatever material to go all the way to the ceiling. We got lucky and found a 42”X 60” base. Took a hard drill bit to drill through the tile for the grab bars. Then used the same solid surface countertop in both bathrooms.
The door was a heavy tempered glass swinging door so you don’t have to worry about tracks.
We kept a squeegee in the shower to get rid of the water on the tile and the door. If you stay up with it, you don’t have to deal with the mold so much. The ladies that came in to clean every couple of weeks, when they noticed any mold, used a steam cleaner and it was like new. Never had to use it on the glass door.
It not only increases the value of the house but nicer touches makes it more desirable to a buyer.
Now I have to decide what I’m going to do with the shower in the current house.
Hate tile showers. Would rather have a full sheet of granite, marble or anything. Lots of grab bars too. And a seat. And a place to hold my bourbon 
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JPGLSG1234
Blackhawk
I had finished building my harbor at worlds end out here in the woods several years ago. Then I met Lefty Lou, we wound up getting married. It was very subtle at first, honey could we change this or change that, and I'd give in. I was traveling all over the US in my job and would come home to all kinds small piles of construction material for this project or that project, honey can we do this or that. It has never ended, just the other day I heard a comment on how dated my bathroom looked.
I told my lovely Wife I just as soon burn the house down and let her start from scratch as I had start another project. If it isn't broken I'm not interested in any more remodels. Over the years she has changed the whole house inside and parts of the outside.
I told my lovely Wife I just as soon burn the house down and let her start from scratch as I had start another project. If it isn't broken I'm not interested in any more remodels. Over the years she has changed the whole house inside and parts of the outside.
There are two key places that make a statement. One is the kitchen, and like it or not the bathroom is the other one.
Both showers were tiled. Never had an issue. Hard water stains? I’m a water guru. I softened the water. Crud stains? There are dozens of products that used on e a week cut it and the stuff washes down and he drain.
Sadly one of the beautiful showers is soon to be gone. My balance sucks and one good fall convinced me it was time for a walk in my shower/bath. I haven’t picked the brand yet. Any suggestions?
Sadly one of the beautiful showers is soon to be gone. My balance sucks and one good fall convinced me it was time for a walk in my shower/bath. I haven’t picked the brand yet. Any suggestions?
Kevin, if your computer/gun or ammo closet/drawer is NOT LOCKED SECURELY (i.e. not a door knob lock), you can bet your life that your cleaning people (and anyone that the talk with during their own time) KNOWS that you have firearms.... (how many and where they are.... and if they have those fancy cell phones with cameras....well, there it is.
IMHO of course,
J.
I bought my house 4 years ago. A fresh coat of paint, changed out the carpets for wood flooring, and called it a day.
We have a walk-in shower in the Master Bathroom that's tiled floor to ceiling, and I hate cleaning it.
What a waste of time.
We might end up remodeling it using granite or something easier to clean.
We have a walk-in shower in the Master Bathroom that's tiled floor to ceiling, and I hate cleaning it.
What a waste of time.
We might end up remodeling it using granite or something easier to clean.
We have a walk in shower with sliding doors.We switched from tile to a cultured marble pan and cultured marble walls, during a recent bathroom remodel. There are therefore, just about half a dozen caulk joints to maintain. I squeegy the walks and floor after each shower. It's pretty trouble free with the exception of the floor. Crud builds up quickly on the floor and it's difficult to clean. There are warnings about using abrasives and
I can't find a liquid cleaning product that will do the job. Strong degreasers are out of the question.
Can anyone recommend a cleaning product for cultured marble?
Can I safely use sream to to the job?
I can't find a liquid cleaning product that will do the job. Strong degreasers are out of the question.
Can anyone recommend a cleaning product for cultured marble?
Can I safely use sream to to the job?
When I’m in the bathroom I’m not making a “statement”
crstrode
Blackhawk
If you spray it with a bit of "Clean Shower" after each use, the grout (and the glass, and the fixtures, etc) will be clean forever. Been using the stuff for decades
Colonialgirl
Hawkeye
Yeah me too after I discovered it while shopping at wallyworld; Also if you have high iron content water try: "Iron Out". After showering spray down the walls and "PRESTO !!!"No stains.
I have fiber glass walled shower in my Mfg home.
I echo the sentiment of all the grout haters. At our last remodel, we had issues with the grout in the floor tile cracking. The builder replaced it with a silicone grout that was flexible. It seemed pretty bulletproof. I wonder why they don’t do all grout that way.
The home we just bought has what my wife calls a “Vegas Bathroom”. It’s as big as most bedrooms, with a gigantic walk in shower, tile on all the walls and wall partitions, glass block, and a huge tile countertop. It’s a sea of tile. We wipe down after each use- it sucks. But I think the worst part is that we are on a septic system so those wonderful toxic chemicals that work so well are big no-go’s.
We have a huge water filter/iron removal unit and also a “Scale Blaster” treatment system. That well water sure tastes good but the minerals really make cleaning a bear.
The home we just bought has what my wife calls a “Vegas Bathroom”. It’s as big as most bedrooms, with a gigantic walk in shower, tile on all the walls and wall partitions, glass block, and a huge tile countertop. It’s a sea of tile. We wipe down after each use- it sucks. But I think the worst part is that we are on a septic system so those wonderful toxic chemicals that work so well are big no-go’s.
We have a huge water filter/iron removal unit and also a “Scale Blaster” treatment system. That well water sure tastes good but the minerals really make cleaning a bear.
Randyzz brought up a couple of treatment devices. Filtration and an iron remover are good ideas, especially if you are on a well or an area known for high iron. But the “scale buster” devices that rely on the Faraday principle are a scam. If they worked every facility that uses traditional water softeners would already be using them.
And a warning about whole house systems that remove chlorine. Chlorine is there to stop biological growth. Things like legionella and a bunch of even nastier critters. When you remove the chlorinating agent you do not remove all of the biologicals. You can end up with the water system in your house going septic.
I know some end user, and every supplier of these systems will scream how wrong I am. But I have documentation from three hospitals and a large pharmaceutical company that I personally had to fix the mess that these scams caused.
And a warning about whole house systems that remove chlorine. Chlorine is there to stop biological growth. Things like legionella and a bunch of even nastier critters. When you remove the chlorinating agent you do not remove all of the biologicals. You can end up with the water system in your house going septic.
I know some end user, and every supplier of these systems will scream how wrong I am. But I have documentation from three hospitals and a large pharmaceutical company that I personally had to fix the mess that these scams caused.
Yeah, I’m skeptical of the Scale Buster. The drains in the bathroom sinks lead me to believe it does nothing.
