BATHROOM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS

 

What To Do If You Have Mould

Mould can pop up at any time where there is excess moisture and warmth so our rainy season offers prime conditions for mould to start up and there are ways to deal with this.

How To Deep Clean a Bathroom

Here are some practical tips on how to give a bathroom a deep clean from top to bottom.

5 Natural Ways To Unclog A Bathroom Sink

One of the common places that can trouble you as a homemaker would be the sinks in the kitchen and bathroom.

How do you Detect a Leak Behind Bathroom Tiles?

This article is intended to make you more aware of what is happening in and around your home so that you can stay on top of faults that should be attended to immediately to avoid further damage that will result in more extensive and expensive repairs

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Dealing with Black Mould in the Bathroom

Quite a few years back, I converted the downstairs bathtub into a bath / shower combination but now see black mould starting to appear in some areas.

Bathroom Problems You Can Fix Yourself

Every home has its problems and the bathroom, like any other room, is one where there are problems that you can fix yourself - without too much effort.

Quick Tip: Brush Hair before you Shower

The number one cause of a blocked shower drain is hair... long hair - so brush before you shower!

Helpful Plumbing Tips

Whether you own your home or rent it, there are bound to be times when you need to fix up minor plumbing problems.

Remove hard water stains and mould

Use white spirit vinegar to remove hard water stains, mineral deposits and mould in a shower.

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Fix chipped or cracked tiles

Chipped or cracked tiles can happen and it's nice to know that there are ways to fix these problems if you need to.

Repair chips in toilets and basins

Here's an easy way to repair chips in a toilet or basin that lasts and will be almost invisible.

Quick Tip: Remove rust stains in a toilet

When renting a home, or even buying an older home, rust stains in a toilet can be an eye-sore. Here are a few tips on getting rid of rust stains in a toilet.

Repair expensive toilet seat

Around 10 years ago I installed a dual-flush toilet. The toilet seat for this model costs just under R500, and I've had to replace 4 times in this period. Instead of replacing, here's how to fix up cracks in a toilet seat.

Replace shower tap washer

There's more than a few homes that have leaky taps or taps that drip, and yet it's so easy and inexpensive to replace a tap washer. This video shows how to replace a shower tap washer.

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Tips for hiring a plumber

Before undergoing any plumbing maintenance and repairs there are a few key pointers that you can use in order to ensure that you are safeguarded as a customer and that your dream kitchen and bathroom materialise.

 

Quick Tip: Get rid of ceiling mould

Poor ventilation in a bathroom can lead to mould on a ceiling. We offer a quick tip on how to get rid of mould and paint over the stain.

 

Strip and replace silicone sealer

Bostik have a range of products that offer an easy solution to remove grungy silicone around bathroom fittings, and replace with fresh, hygienic silicone sealer.

 

Quick Tip: Replace dual-flush button

Nothing is designed to last these days. The dual-flush button on the toilet recently decided enough was enough and snapped off. Here's a quick guide to replacing the button assembly.

 

How to treat rising damp in exterior and interior walls

When left untreated, rising damp can cause serious problems to the structure of a home. Paint and plaster will fall off the wall, and brickwork eventually becomes saturated with moisture and can lead to structural damage.

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Why it's important to seal wood or bamboo

In this article we use Woodoc sealer to beautify and protect a bathroom vanity, bathroom cabinet and also a toilet roll holder.

Replace broken tile

Chipped, cracked or broken tiles are a fact of life and that's why it is important that you always order extra tiles. Replacing a damaged tile is easy if you already have some spare.

Give grimy grout a facelift

Tiled living areas can often start to look tired due to old or dirty grout. The good news is that tiled walls and floors may now be instantly refreshed with an easy to use, permanent home DIY solution. The new TUBBY DIY Grout Sealer can be used to transform grubby grout instantly.

Fix damaged grout in a shower

Leaks in or around a built-in shower can cause damage to surrounding walls and encourage mould growth if not attended to.

Fix up loose bathroom fittings

When you buy fittings and shelves, these usually come with plastic wall plugs and screws for mounting. The first thing you need to do is throw away the plastic wall plugs, because they are useless!

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Cover up stains on ceilings

While mould can be prevented by ensuring proper ventilation, if your bathroom ceiling suffers from recurring outbreaks of mould, or if there are mould stains on the ceiling then here's a way to kill off mould spores and have a beautiful and white ceiling.

How to fix a toilet that won't flush

There's nothing worse than finding that your toilet won't flush, but there's no need to panic as you can sort it out yourself. Fixing a toilet that won't flush is not a difficult do-it-yourself project and we show you how ...

How to paint bathtub, basin or sink

Moving into an older home or apartment can sometimes mean that you end up with a stained bathtub, sink or basin. Where replacing a bathtub or sink is not an option, there is a way to refresh a stained bathtub, wash basin or sink.

Refresh grubby tile grout

One easy way to give bathrooms a makeover is to regrout tiles. In most cases, grout applied during tile installation will be your average cement-based grout. Where grout is crumbling or falling out of joints, this is probably due to a weak grout that had too much water in the mix.

Understand your home plumbing

Unless you can afford to fork out every time something goes wrong in your home, it pays to know a few plumbing basics just in case ...

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Repair chipped basin, toilet or tub

Repairing chips and gouges in a porcelain or enamelled bath or basin is fairly easy if you use the right products for the job.

How to seal around bath or basin

It is essential to have a seal around basins and bath tubs to prevent moisture access to furniture, walls and floors.

Banging or vibrating water pipes

Where banging noises seem to be in the walls or ceiling, this is commonly referred to as Water Hammer and is caused by a lack of air in the pipes and occurs whenever taps with valves are closed quickly. Water pressure in the pipes is not cushioned by air and this causes the banging noise.

How to replace a cracked or broken tile

A floor covered with ceramic tile is about as durable and low-maintenance a surface as you can get. Replacing a broken or chipped tile is pretty simple to do and one that any homeowner can handle.

How to fix a leaking toilet

If there are brown stains or water is dripping from the back of the toilet - where it connects to the outlet pipe - you need to replace the seal. It's a quick and easy job - although a bit messy - that takes about five minutes!

How to unblock a toilet

You don't have to get into a panic or call a plumber if the toilet blocks up. All you need to do it don a pair of rubber gloves and grab a plunger.

Refresh grout the easy way!

Renewing old grout has always involved long hours of chipping away at old, worn grout. Simplify the job by purchasing a grout removal kit that attaches to a Dremel MultiTool.

Do you have damp or mould?

Damp can affect any home and, with the obvious health and comfort issues, it is always wise to spot any problems early and remedy them quickly. Bathroom can be prone to damp, so here's what to keep a look out for...

Understand how a toilet works

Most homes have at least two, so it pays to have some understanding of how your toilet works. If you have a basic knowledge you could save yourself hundreds of rands on minor repairs. Here are a few things that it helps to know...

Why do drains block up?

Imagine standing in a shower with water up to your ankles, or spending essential 'reading' time on the toilet which won't flush! Most blockages are due to poor maintenance and while a twice yearly inspection may not stop blockages entirely, it will prevent a big build up that could cause flooding.

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Adjust or replace a toilet seat

Every time I sit on the toilet seat I feel like I'm going for a roller coaster ride! Over time the screws that hold the seat can work loose and simply need to be tightened, but should they break off, you will need to replace the entire seat.

Keep mould out of the bathroom

Mould in the bathroom is definitely a no no. Depending on the severity of the mould problem there are ways to get rid of it without resorting to toxic and harsh substances.

Tackle stubborn bathroom stains

If you have stubborn stains seemingly beyond your control - don't throw in the towel. We show you how to dissolve three frustrating, yet common, water-caused deposits: rust stains and mineral buildup.

How to clean grout in bathrooms

Unless the grout in your bathroom has been sealed there may come a time that you need to clean the grout to refresh the bathroom. Here's how to ...

Quick fixes for a home

There are certain jobs in and around the home that can be tackled easily and quickly. Here's a quick round up of DIY products that are helpful to have at home in case of an emergency DIY fix up - and you'll find everything you need at your local Builders Warehouse!

Why do drains block?

Find out why drains block up and how you can ensure this doesn't happen.

How to fix a chipped floor tile

I am sure that there are many homeowners out there who have at least one tile in their home that has been chipped. How do you repair a chipped tile? Here's how...

How to adjust shower door

If the sliding doors on your shower don’t glide smoothly, repair them soon. A door that drags on the lower track will eventually do permanent damage to both the door and the track. A dragging roller at the top of the door will wear and require replacement.

Understand how your toilet works

Most homes have at least two, so it pays to have some understanding of how your toilet works. If you have a basic knowledge you could save yourself hundreds of rands on minor repairs. Here are a few things that it helps to know...

Busted Shower?

It is very unfortunate to wake up in the morning with a busted shower, but consider this before you buy...

4 Common Bathroom Problems And How to Deal With Them

We take a look at some simple solutions to common bathroom problems.

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