Keeping a new bathroom like new

Why does ventilation matter more than cleaning?

Every shower releases moisture into the air. If it cannot leave the room, it condenses on the coolest surfaces: the mirror, the window, the ceiling and the grout lines. Repeated condensation feeds mould, discolours silicone and, over time, damages paint and plaster. Cleaning removes the symptoms; ventilation removes the cause.

Spain’s building code, the CTE, includes a section on indoor air quality, HS 3, which for new dwellings expects extraction from wet rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens and air moving from the dry rooms towards the wet ones. Whatever the age of your bathroom, the principle is the same: run the extractor during and after showering, or open the window, and leave the door ajar afterwards so air can move. The guide on damp and mould in bathrooms goes into this in more depth.

How should grout be looked after?

Cement-based grout is slightly porous. Soap residue and limescale build up on it, and dark grout that stays damp long after showering suggests water is sitting in or behind it. Clean grout with a soft brush and a mild product suited to the tile; avoid strong acids, which etch cement grout over time. Where grout has cracked or crumbled, it should be raked out and renewed before water reaches the layers behind.

In showers with a seamless finish there is no grout, but the sealer plays a similar role and needs similar care.

When does silicone need replacing?

Silicone seals the movement joints: where the shower floor meets the walls, around the tray, at the basin and along the bottom of the screen. It is a wearing part. Signs that it needs replacing are black spots that do not clean off, edges that lift, gaps where you can slide a fingernail behind it, or water appearing outside the shower at a junction.

Replacing silicone means removing the old bead completely, cleaning and drying the joint, then applying a new bead suitable for sanitary use. Putting new silicone over old does not seal.

How do you care for a seamless finish?

Seamless coatings are protected by a sealer. Use pH-neutral cleaners and soft cloths; abrasive pads, bleach-based sprays and strong descalers can wear the sealer away. Wipe standing water from counters and the shower bench. When water stops beading on the surface or marks appear that do not wipe off, the sealer is due for renewal, a job for the applicator rather than a DIY product from the shelf.

Our seamless bathroom page explains how the finish is built.

What about drains, traps and screens?

Linear and point drains collect hair and soap. Most have a removable grid and a trap insert that can be lifted out and rinsed; doing this regularly keeps water draining fast and avoids smells. If water starts to pool in the shower where it used to drain freely, clean the trap first before suspecting the falls.

Glass screens stay clearer if they are squeegeed after each shower. Check the fixings and the seal at the bottom from time to time; a loose screen can crack the silicone and let water out at the base.

What about a bathroom in a home that stands empty?

Second homes and holiday lets on the coast are often closed for weeks at a time. Water left in traps can evaporate, letting drain smells into the room; running each tap and the shower briefly on arrival refills them. A closed, unventilated bathroom in warm humid weather can develop mould on silicone and ceilings. Leaving the bathroom door open and a window on a secure vent, if possible, helps.

Before leaving, it is sensible to turn off the water supply to the property and, if you have a caretaker or key-holder, ask them to run the taps and air the rooms during visits.

Which electrical items in the bathroom need attention?

Extractor fans collect dust on the grille and slow down; cleaning the grille keeps airflow up. Heated towel rails and mirror lights should be checked for damage to cables or casings. The bathroom is a special location under ITC-BT-27 of Spain’s low-voltage electrical regulation, with zones around the bath or shower where only suitable equipment may be installed. Any repair or change to bathroom electrics should be carried out by an authorised installer; in our renovations this is done by authorised partner installers.

If the residual-current device on your fuse board trips repeatedly when the bathroom is in use, have the installation checked rather than resetting it again and again.

How do hard water and limescale affect a bathroom?

Water on parts of the coast leaves visible limescale on glass, taps and shower heads. Wiping the screen and taps after use prevents most of it from building up. Where deposits form, use a descaler suited to the surface: products that are fine on chrome can damage natural stone, some seamless sealers and coloured tap finishes such as brass or matt black. Shower heads with flexible nozzles can be cleared by rubbing them; heavily scaled heads can be soaked according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Which signs mean you should call someone?

• Stains or damp patches on the ceiling below the bathroom.
• Tiles that sound hollow or move underfoot near the shower.
• Grout that stays dark for hours after showering.
• A musty smell that persists with good ventilation.
• Water on the floor outside the shower after normal use.

These suggest water is getting behind the finish. The repair may be small, or it may mean rebuilding the shower; see bathroom renovation and bathroom tiling for how we approach each.

Official sources

• Código Técnico de la Edificación, DB HS Salubridad (HS 3 indoor air quality)
• REBT, Real Decreto 842/2002 (ITC-BT-27, rooms with a bath or shower) – BOE consolidated text