Selling: Presenting A Bathroom

bathroom. a guide to presenting your bathroom

Cleaning & Clearing
The Details

Bathrooms are places where we can spoil ourselves surrounded by luxury, warmth and fluffy towels. At least, that's the image we need to create in the minds of potential buyers. Here are ten tips to presenting your bathroom.

By Daphne Leck

B&Q Bathroom. A guide to presenting your bathroom

1 Declutter

Since it's frequently the smallest in the house, keeping your bathroom free from clutter is all important in making it feel spacious.

Clear out the cabinet, tidy up the airing cupboard and put away day-to-day toiletries that you don't think buyers will enjoy looking at (we're talking sanitary towels, deodorants, medicines). Hide away cleaning products, too. Put rubber ducks and kids' bath toys neatly into a corner and clear surfaces of anything other than good-looking toiletries.

2 Scrub & Clean

Bathrooms must be super clean. Scrub basins and baths on a daily basis and get rid of any scale or staining with a limescale remover. Use caustic soda to remove stains from lavatories. Make sure any drapes or blinds are free of dust. Don't forget to clean basin and lavatory pedestals. Ensure the shower curtain and any towels that are out are clean, too.

3 Update Your Suite

If you're having trouble selling your home, it might be because you have an outdated, coloured suite that's out of fashion. Look out for offers at the DIY stores or on the internet and consider replacement with plain white fittings. Or update your bathroom with new taps and shower head and buy towels to dress the room to make it look more contemporary.

4 Replace The Flooring

Look at the flooring. If it's a carpet it's likely to be stained. If it is, change it to hard flooring such as cork, bamboo or ceramic tiles - even a fresh, new vinyl is better than an old carpet. Either way, don't replace an old carpet with a new carpet in a bathroom - they're impractical and most people disapprove of them.

For a quick fix, a new floor mat will hide a tired floor, but don't expect that viewers won't lift it.

5 Upgrade Grouting

Grubby grout should be removed and regrouted. Kits are available from DIY shops. If your tiles have seen better days, bleach them, or if that doesn't work, remove and replace them. If your bathroom is small, tiling every wall completely will make it seem bigger. Think of hotel bathrooms; small, but stylish and generally tiled throughout.