Bathroom Repairs That Will Save You Money in the Long Run

We're all for a quick fix when it will save us big in the long run. Fixing up your bathroom can feel overwhelming, especially if you are a first-time DIYer. But, there are dozens of quick fixes and easy repairs that will improve the look of your bathroom and keep it in great shape for years to come.

Caulking

Even if you're in a new build, caulking can crack and settle relatively quickly. We recently moved into a new home, and the caulking in one of our bathrooms drastically settled and split within about six months. It just happens sometimes in homes.

Caulking is the sealant around your tub, bathtub, and toilet. Sometimes other areas of the bathroom are caulked, but the point of caulk is to keep water from getting under your flooring or cabinetry.

If the caulking in your bathroom cracks, gapes, or settles, water can get under the floors and baseboards in your bathroom, causing chaos and all sorts of damage. Recaulking is relatively easy, though, and very inexpensive. You will need caulk, a caulk gun, and baby wipes.

Start by putting your caulk in the caulk gun and applying it to the area that needs re-caulked. Then, taking the baby wipe, smooth out the caulk line with the wipe. Do this quickly and make sure to clean up any overspill fast.

Another easy way to save your money, in the long run, is by caulking the baseboards by your tub. In some homes, this has already been done, but in many, the baseboard and the floor have a gap between them, just begging to soak up water and mold.

Caulk the line between baseboard and floor the same way you resealed the other caulk lines. It's quick, costs less than fifteen dollars, and saves a ton of money.

Deep Clean

While a good, deep clean might not be seen as your typical "repair," it actually does more than you think. There are certain areas of your bathroom that may get missed in a quick clean, and it's important that those areas get a little TLC, too, or the dirt, grime, and general buildup can cause damage to your bathroom.

Make sure to always clean around the base of the toilet where it joins with the floor. The liquid left there can erode the seal and allow your toilet or surrounding liquids to leak into the flooring.

Clean your showerhead too. Fill a plastic sandwich bag with vinegar and attach it to the showerhead for eight to twelve hours. This will erode the hardware buildup that affixes to your showerhead and prevent breaks and leaks.

It's also important to deep clean your countertops regularly. Take everything off the counter and scrub them down. Stained countertops can quickly erode the value of your bathroom, and sometimes stains form under bottles and containers that remain stagnant for a long time.

Especially if anything on your countertop has a metal base that could potentially rust, it's important that you give your counters a little TLC before you end up needing to replace them.

Screwdriver Fixes

Grab a screwdriver and fix up a few things in the bathroom.

Tighten up the doorknob and give the pulls on the drawers a once-over. Use your screwdriver to tighten the light switch plate covers and hinges around the bathroom. If you've got hooks on the wall, a towel holder, or a toilet paper holder attached to the wall, tighten those screws too.

If you check your bathroom out once every six months with a screwdriver, you'll be able to quickly fix any issues in the bathroom before they become big problems. Any rooms that get a lot of use need a little maintenance from time to time.

After you've got your bathroom in tip-top condition, give this flooring bathroom DIY a try.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commissions at no cost to you.