Caring for your freestanding bath suite

Today’s bathroom suites are generally low maintenance. In fact, regular cleaning is about all that’s needed. The surfaces of your sanitaryware should be kept free of dust and dirt, using a soft, non-abrasive cloth (to prevent small scratches building up on the surface of the material). A whole range of bathroom cleaners is available that will do just fine for most bathroom surfaces.

If you prefer to use an eco-friendly product, there are many of these on the market; alternatively, to save your wallet as well as the planet, you can try bringing into service some of the common items you probably have around your home anyway. Lemon juice is a mild acid which can be put to a range of uses including the gentle removal of limescale, and baking soda combined with warm water is a surprisingly powerful cleaning agent.

Make sure that you rinse off the surfaces of your bathroom suite after cleaning with a damp cloth. Your aim is to remove any sticky traces of cleaning agent which, left in place, can look streaky and unsightly, and are also likely to re-attract the very dust you’ve just cleaned away.

Remember when you’re installing your freestanding bath that you’ll need access on all sides to clean it – don’t back it against a wall or into a corner to the extent that access becomes an issue.

Be aware as well that freestanding baths crafted from, for example, natural stone and cast iron will require more specialist care. Natural stone should be cleaned with a specialist natural stone cleaning agent. Stone is porous and prone to becoming marked or stained if it’s not adequately protected. Using a sealant will help to protect the stone’s surfaces from accidental damage; cleaning it gently and regularly with ‘stone soap’ will help to keep it in good condition.

Cast iron baths are finished on the inside (and sometimes also on the outside) in vitreous enamel. The term vitreous simply refers to the process by which the enamel is bound onto the metal; it is bonded in place by heating. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to enamel care: avoid staining by fixing dripping taps promptly, and use only an approved vitreous enamel cleaner. Avoid abrasive cloths which can scratch the enamel, and wipe the bath after each use. The bath will require specialist repair if it becomes chipped; it is, however, difficult to chip a bath of this kind accidentally.

Pure copper baths, on the other hand, will simply become more beautiful with age, without the need for any form of specialist aftercare. Scratches in the surfaces of copper baths ‘heal’ themselves (blending back into the whole over time as you continue your regular use of the item), and pure copper has the advantage of being naturally antibacterial.

Your toilet and basin should be cleaned and maintained too: regular cleaning of their surfaces and maintenance of their working parts is common sense. A dripping tap can usually be repaired by replacing a worn out washer or ceramic disc cartridge; most problems which occur with the toilet are cistern based, so ensuring you have access to both the cistern and a simple plumbing manual will cover many eventualities.

Your new bathroom suite should last you for many years and is you take sensible care of it, it will continue to look good long into the future.


Helen Davies is a senior content writer for Better Bathrooms. Visit the company’s website to explore their ranges of complete bathroom suites and roll top baths, as well as other products including bathroom furniture and accessories.