The stink of urine when you open the bathroom door can be nauseating and very unpleasant. Even without peeing directly on the floor, the splashes still cause odors and stains, especially when left for long. No matter how much you try to rinse it off the floor after taking a pee, the smell doesn’t stop. That can be very frustrating and annoying. Maybe you are doing something wrong. But, what exactly are you doing so wrong?
Certain actions can be taken to stop that from happening in the future. This article will show you how to protect the bathroom floor from urine and water damages in simple and affordable ways. Enjoy reading!
Does urine harm your floor?
When urine drops freshly to the floor, it can be easily cleaned. However, when it dries and is left for long, it can cause permanent damage to a tiled floor. The dried urine becomes alkaline and stubborn to remove. That is because the urine goes through chemical change and turns into ammonia.
If you leave the processed urine on the floor, it changes the dye pattern and becomes a permanent stain. The change in the floor dye remains there even when you clean the floor.
How do you protect the floor under a toilet?
When we use the toilet sitting or standing, sometimes our urine makes way to the base of the seat and gathers there. Toilet bases are usually missed when doing flash cleanings to remove urine splashes in the bathroom. You will then notice that the toilet still stinks even after you must have cleaned it.
The gathered moisture can also be from water that pours on the floor when flushing. In any case, the liquid at the base of the toilet can cause damages to that part.
To protect the floor around your toilet base, you can try waterproofing the area. Use the following steps to add waterproof to the floor under your toilet;
How to waterproof existing floors
- Install Vinyl tiles under the closet: To install the Vinyl tiles under your toilet, you need to remove the seat and the toilet flange as well. The tile will help prevent water from causing damages around the toilet base as it is waterproof. Some people can install the new tyles under the toilet without removing them. That would mean you have to cut round shapes into the vinyl. You may not be able to achieve that as vinyl tiles are hard to cut into the needed shape. It is better to remove the toilet before fixing the new tiles.
- Laminate the flooring: To prevent moisture from damaging your walls and toilet, you may have to install laminate. To do that, you have to remove your toilet, vanity cabinet, or pedestal sink. You do not want to leave out any place while laminating the bathroom floor especially not the toilet!
- Apply waterproof membrane: Clean your bathroom floor and apply a water-based primer then, check out for cracks all around and fill them up with silicone. After the silicone covering dries, apply masking tape and then the waterproofing membrane.
- Caulk your toilet base to tile floor: Caulking helps prevent water from going under the toilet. For prevention, apply caulk to the base of your toilet evenly and smoothen it with your finger so they are secured properly.
Although the main problem is protecting the floor under the toilet, it is better to protect the whole bathroom as other parts can also get damaged by standing water.
What do you put on the floor in front of the toilet?
Shower or bath mats are put in front of the toilet to soak excess water around the toilet or bath. They are also there to prevent you from slipping after bathing or using the toilet. If you want to protect your bathroom floor from water damage, you can get a shower mat. They are highly absorbent, easy to clean, and dry real quick.
Should you put a mat around the toilet?
Bath mats offer a lot of benefits to their uses. Apart from preventing you from slipping after bathing, they also help keep the bathroom less messy. Some of the benefits of shower mats include:
Bath mats absorb excess water from the bath or toilet
- They possess anti-slip features that prevent you from falling while using the mat
- They help to reduce water damage in the bathroom
- They reduce the amount of water that collects around the toilet base.
- They also serve aesthetic functions by beatifying your toilet.
- They improve your toilet hygiene
Additional Tips
- Bathroom mats serve great functions. However, they should be properly cared for so they can serve their purpose and last long. Below are tips on how to clean bath mats;
- Clean the mats with vinegar to remove specks of dirt, smell, stains, and germs
- If you want to vacuum your mat, apply liquid soap first
- Some mats are machine washable. If yours can be washed with a machine then use it.
- For thorough cleaning, mix salt with baking soda paste, apply on the mat and then scrub.
- Always rinse your mats with cold water and dry according to instructions.
- Read the care instructions of the mat before carrying out any procedures
In summary
Missed aims are the primary cause of pee splashes on the bathroom floor. Waterproofing gets rid of stains and damages to the floor but, what about the smell? That means, to avoid a horrible smell in your bathroom, you have to implement some preventive measures. You can start by ensuring that no one in the house pees carelessly.
Also, once you notice pee splashes on the bathroom floor, clean them immediately before the bacteria begin work on them. Bathroom rugs are great additions to the bathrooms too. Some of them are designed to go round the toilet. That may also help prevent urine from getting to your floor although the mat will require special cleaning to prevent stinks!
As the resident shower expert at ShowerJournal.com, Wayne Lee loves to share the helpful tips and tricks he’s picked up over the years during his job as a handyman.
