Gainsborough Showers - Useful Information, Tips and Advice

We all try to make sure that the bathroom remains clean and free of hazardous products in our homes, but sometime a gentle reminder is required in order to achieve this. Don’t panic: Gainsborough Showers, specialists in supplying showers to millions of homes in the UK, are here to help.

Health and Safety in the home is essential, particularly the bathroom. Even more so if you have young children who are willing to explore this environment when unsupervised. Gainsbourgh’s simple, yet highly effective ways in which to keep your bathroom clean and safe will mean you can spend more time splashing around with the kids, and less time cleaning!

How to clean your shower curtain

Is your shower curtain covered in soap scum? Have you noticed mildew forming around the edges? If so, do not distress: follow our simple and effective steps on how to clean your shower curtain: maximal results with minimal effort.

1) Remove the shower curtain from the shower and take off the rings.

2) If you have a cloth shower curtain, follow the cleaning instructions on the label. For vinyl and plastic curtains, proceed with the following steps;

3) Place the shower curtain in your washing machine with 3 or 4 hand towels. Washcloths will also work, but use 5 or 6 of them due to their smaller size.

4) Add laundry detergent and bleach as if you were washing a medium-sized load of delicate white clothes.

5) Run the washer as you normally would. The bleach will kill the mildew while the towels act as scrubbers to remove soap scum, and the detergent cleans just about everything. The scrubbing action from the towels makes heat unnecessary so save energy and use cold water.

6) After the washing machine has finished, hang the curtain back up in the shower and turn on the bathroom fan or open a window to help dry it off quickly. Heat and steam from future showers will eradicate any wrinkles and creases.

Tips & Warnings

• Due to the risk of melting in the dryer, always air-dry a plastic or vinyl curtain

For more information visit www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk

How to clean your shower glass

We all know how frustrating cleaning glass can be at times. If you don’t use the right technique or product, then you’ll find it extremely difficult to avoid smearing. Fortunately, there is an easy way to clean and maintain your shower glass. Carefully follow our process below and you will see maximum results with minimal application. You will no longer have to tolerate ugly streaks on your glass and be proud of your bathroom once again.

1) Glass is best cleaned with warm water, or in a warm atmosphere. If you are cleaning glass from a window, mirror, dishes, car, or items with a glass covering, always use heat when washing. You can steam clean glass too, which is perfect when cleaning glass in a bathroom. You can use the steam from running hot water (either from the shower or taps), which also means you can regulate the temperature easily.

2) It is convention to use a chemical glass cleaner to cleanse the glass, however, you can use a natural substance to clean glass as well. For example lemon, orange or vinegar are all natural substances that can be used to clean glass effectively. Use one whole lemon or orange, or alternatively, one cup of white wine vinegar per one litre of water.

3) Wipe the glass. Most towels are cotton based and can leave fragments behind when wiped. The best tool to wipe glass is the material that is used to wipe eye glasses. You can also use a hot towel to wipe the glass. A cold towel usually will not work as it will leave streaks.

4) Use a towel with a backward and forward motion. Start from the top and work toward the bottom. This will allow you to keep excessive water out of the way. Try using the forward and backward motions then try after the glass is dry circular motions to see the shine. This whole process should take less than five minutes once you get the hang of it. It is a very easy process to clean any glass, big or small. You can then use an old newspaper, which has been proven to bring an excellent shiny finish to glass over the years.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to use heat instead of cold when using your towel
• If possible, use natural products over highly toxic chemicals
• Use a non-cotton towel when wiping
• Although an old tip, using newspaper is a great, inexpensive way to clean glass

For more information visit www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk

How to ensure your bathroom is a safe environment

For most, the bathroom is the smallest, but generally the most difficult room in the home to keep clean. It can also be one of the most hazardous and accidents can and do occur there. Slippery surfaces, electrical sockets and appliances, and cleaning products are all factors you need to be aware of at all times. Our easy to follow suggestions below will assist you in becoming more vigilant in your bathroom:

1) Keep all dangerous substances locked away, particularly away from children. Bathrooms host many harmful products and even adults can often misread or ignore the warning signs.

2) Lower your hot water heater's temperature below the medium setting at around 120 degrees F. Most homeowners have their water heaters set at the highest setting and don't realise it. That's because when a water heater is first installed or worked on the technician doesn't want to sit around all day, waiting to make sure it is working, so they put it on high to make it work fast and usually leave it there. Water or steam at 140 degrees F will burn skin.

3) Start a bath with cold water first then mix with the warm water. Be aware that babies have thin skin and should have water temperatures lower than 100 degrees F. Use a thermometer to check the water's temperature or test it with your entire hand, swishing it around to detect hot spots.

4) Stay near younger children while they are in the tub. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water. Adults should supervise toddlers, instead of leaving an older sibling in charge.

5) Buy a non-slip mat or the adhesive strips to be placed inside of the bathtub and shower. Anyone, at any age, can slip on a slippery surface. It's also a good idea to place grab bars and supports around tubs, showers and toilets, especially if you have an older adult living in the home.

6) Keep the doors to the bathroom closed. With children in the home, take extra precautions and put on toilet seat locks and doorknob covers on the door.

Tips & Warnings

• Never allow your children to play in the bathroom unsupervised
• Always buy bath toys approved by Safety Standards
• Ensure your detachable shower is out of reach of children

For more information visit www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk

Water saving tips and facts
With so much emphasis on us not wasting water and preserving when possible, the prospect of having ultra quick showers and shallow baths is more reminiscent of the 19th century, not the 21st. However, saving on your water supply doesn’t have to be daunting, and remember, you can reduce your water bill in the process. Take on board our ten facts and tips, and you will see the results immediately:

1) A standard shower uses 35 litres every 5 minutes
2) A power shower uses 80 litres every 5 minutes
3) A dripping tap could waste as much as 90 litres a week
4) Brushing your teeth with the tap running wastes almost 9 litres a minute so rinse out from a tumbler instead
5) Fit a water saving device in your cistern and save up to three litres a flush
6) Installing a water meter can save you water and money by monitoring how much you use
7) Just taking a five minute shower every day, instead of a bath, will use a third of the water; saving up to 400 litres a week
8) Lag your pipes to avoid bursts and leave your heating on a low setting while you are out in cold weather to prevent pipes freezing
9) Replacing a toilet cistern can save water. Toilets manufactured after 1993 use less water per flush
10) Trigger nozzles can save water by using it only when needed. This can save up to 225 litres a week

For more information visit www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk