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Ask Danny | Ep. 16: Top 5 Simple Solutions for Bathroom Maintenance

October 24, 2022
Frankie Olkowski

This week, Today’s Homeowner Radio Show co-host Joe Truini offers his Top 5 Simple Solutions for the bathroom.

“Today’s Homeowner” Simple Solution host Joe Truini sprays Rain-X on his shower door to remove unsightly water spots.
A glass cleaner that contains rain repellant will prevent water spots from appearing on shower doors. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Water Spot Remover for Shower Doors

Does your glass shower door have water spots? They’re a pain to remove, and general cleaners simply can’t do the job. Well, here’s a secret water spot remover that you may already have without realizing it!

Nobody wants to wipe their shower door every time after they use it to prevent water spots. And let’s be honest — who has the time for that?

That’s why it helps to have the right tool for regular maintenance.

I like to use a glass cleaner with a formula that contains rain repellant — like this one. (This is an affiliate link. If you purchase this product, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

This type of product is usually advertised for cleaning bugs and removing water spots from car or truck windshields, but that doesn’t mean it only works on these surfaces! So look in the automotive aisle if you can’t find the product near general cleaners.

Now, why does this product work over general household cleaners?

It’s because the rain-repellant formula causes water to bead up and repel off the shower door. That means your glass shower enclosure will have no water spots!

Here’s how it works: Simply spray the cleaner on the glass and use a towel to wipe it off — I always use a cotton microfiber towel.

Now you have an easy water spot remover! Not only is the glass clean, but it also repels water with no spotting.

Watch: Easy Water Spot Remover for Your Shower Door

Box of baking soda and bottle of white vinegar, seen beside a bathroom sink
Baking soda and vinegar will deodorize and clean your sink without damaging the bath fixture. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

How to Clean and Deodorize Bath Sink

It’s not often you bring baking soda and vinegar into a bathroom, but you can use them to clean and deodorize a bathroom sink.

Sinks often become slow-draining, and they can get clogged up with soap scum and hair. They will also produce a pretty funky odor, so here’s how to get rid of that.

Start with one-third cup of baking soda. You don’t have to be too precise, but you will need to take about a third of a cup or so and dump it in the drain.

Next, take one full cup of vinegar. White vinegar is a really strong cleaning agent that you can use all over the house.

After it hits the baking soda, let it fizz down for a few minutes. Some people might use bleach here, but bleach can actually eat the finish right off of some bath fixtures, so you don’t want to use it.

After the baking soda and vinegar have calmed down a little bit, follow up with a full kettle of hot water. This will, in combination with the vinegar and the baking soda, cut through anything that might be clogging up the sink.

If you do this treatment once a month, you’ll have a really sweet-smelling sink and a free-flowing drain.

Watch: The Easy Way to Clean and Deodorize Your Sink

inside of a toilet tank showing flapper valve
Flappers have two important jobs: They provide a seal for the toilet’s flush valve and control the volume of water released into the bowl. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

How to Replace a Toilet Flapper Valve

If you have a toilet that’s constantly running, the culprit is likely a leaky flapper valve. Over time, flapper valves may become cracked or warped, which can allow water to leak out.

Here’s how to replace it:

  • Turn the water off to your toilet.
  • Flush the water out so the tank is empty
  • Unhook the old flapper valve and snap on the new one.
  • Adjust the chain to make sure the length is correct.
  • Turn the water back on and flush the toilet a couple of times to make sure the flapper valve is working properly.

Watch: How to Replace Toilet Flapper Valve

A homemade scrub brush drill attachment chucked into a drill is perfect for detailing tile floors. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

How to Power-Clean Bath Tiles

Scrub brushes work well for cleaning, but they require a lot of elbow grease. To convert a standard hand scrub brush into a power attachment for your drill:

  1. Cut the handle off a round scrub brush.
  2. Drill a hole in the middle of the brush.
  3. Insert a 4-inch long machine bolt in the hole from the bristle side.
  4. Put a washer and nut on the back side and tighten it up.
  5. Chuck the bolt into a drill.
  6. Run the drill at medium speed when using the scrub brush attachment.

Watch: How to Clean Tiles Faster Than Ever

Using vinegar to clean a clogged showerhead.
Use vinegar and a plastic bag to clean a clogged showerhead. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

How to Clean a Clogged Showerhead

Showerhead spray nozzles can become clogged over time with mineral deposits found in tap water.

To clean a showerhead so it sprays uniformly:

  • Place a plastic bag filled with white distilled vinegar over the showerhead.
  • Attach a twist tie around the showerhead arm to hold the bag in place.
  • Allow the showerhead to soak in the vinegar for one to two days.
  • Remove the bag and turn the showerhead on full force.

If the nozzles are still clogged, repeat the soaking process until clear.

Watch: How to Clean a Clogged Showerhead

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