I am disabled and have a daughter. I also have two step kids. I need help getting my bathroom fixed.
By James
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It's hard to tell from the photos if your bathroom needs repairs, or just cleaned & maintained properly. If the children living with you are old enough, have them do some cleaning to get rid of the black stuff in the photos, which looks like it is probably just mold/mildew accumulation.
Mold/mildew forms because the surfaces do not dry out properly after use. It also has a tendency to form on the buildup from soap scum, which is another problem caused by not cleaning regularly or properly. Soap scum can be eliminated by not using bar soap for showers or baths. Use only liquid shower or bath "soaps".
The other issue to preventing mold/mildew is making sure there is enough air circulation into the bathroom that the surfaces are dry within an hour or so after use. Most molds cannot thrive without moisture.
I keep a dollar store one-dollar squeegee in my shower and swipe down the walls after each shower. It takes less than 30 seconds and prevents water spotting as well as speeding up the drying process. Everyone in the house must do this in order to help keep mold at bay.
Remove the old edging around the tub. Use bleach water to help remove mold; allow to thoroughly dry. You can buy at Family Dollar silicone to fill in around the tub edges and to smooth it out, wear a rubber glove and a soft cloth wrapped over the finger dipped in alcohol. Just a small amount of pressure is all you need do across the tub edges. This will give it a more finished appearance. Allow to dry the specified time. I would buy water sealer first before a final paint covering.
For the floors around the toilet, you can also add silicone beading and smooth out allowing to dry after replacing with tile/vinyl flooring. You can buy remnant vinyl pretty reasonable and if you choose the cheap stick on tiles at Family Dollar, then please use a quality glue on the floor first as these tiles do not hold up well alone. BUT, you can cut/score them to fit easily with scissors/knife which is a plus.
Just guessing from your photos; a small bathroom; the cost should be around $100 or more to complete. Family Dollar sells a lot of paint supplies reasonably priced too. In future, you really do need to come up with a solution to allow more air in the room after shower/bathing as it holds moisture in longer and doesn't dry out fast enough.
ALSO, you could apply remnant vinyl flooring to the walls about 36" or more tall from the floor and use the floor glue as long as you use your baking rolling pin to press out any air bubbles so the vinyl adheres well. Paint quarter panel wood strips and use panel nails to secure from floor to ceiling in every corner of the room. Can also use quarter panel strips along floor to help hold down the vinyl and give it a finished look.
After the walls are painted then add the molding trim against the top of vinyl if you choose to redo the bathroom walls like this. To learn more on the how to do, look up on youtube to get helpful tips along the way. It's really simple work you are doing, but if you've never done this before, it can be overwhelming. Give it a try what harm can you do? Just do it all in proper step procedure and enjoy the new look.
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