Cleaning and Maintaining an Acrylic Tub-Shower Unit

Today I want to share some important information about our acrylic tub-shower units.

For those of you who have an acrylic tub-shower unit, here are a few tips to keep in mind when assembling and maintaining them:

The tub itself has a nailing flange around the perimeter, and the drywall of the bathroom butts up to that. The shower walls come in three pieces: First, you install the back piece, and then the two side panels. Those are then fastened to the framing members in the home.

The channels themselves are not designed to be caught; they interlock in such a way that any water that gets into that channel will drain out of the perimeter on the bottom, where the base of the tub and the side walls meet.

That being said, there is a small drip area on the front edge of the tub where the tub meets the front/side panel. It’s about four inches long, and upon installation, that area is sealed up with silicone caulking. You don’t want it to be completely filled with caulk, but you do want some in there.This keeps the water from channelling out the front of the unit, possibly seeping into the drywall and damaging members of the wood framing.

If you ever suspect that water has been seeping into your waters—indicators include bubbled paint or paint peeling off the trim boards—you’ll want to make sealing that four-inch drip area with caulk a maintenance item.

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You can apply a non-abrasive car wax to the shower walls in the same way you would on your vehicle.

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When you’re doing your regular cleaning routine in the shower, be sure to clean that channel out. Over time, the underside of the lip can start to develop a slimy film from the shampoos and soaps you use.

Both our acrylic shower and tub-shower units are very durable. However, when it comes time to clean them, it’s important to use non-abrasive cleaners. Abrasive cleaners, along with scratchy cleaning cloths, can scratch the surface of the units.

The unit itself has a non-abrasive, non-skid surface on the floor of the tub. Never wax or polish it, because that will cause the floor to become slippery, potentially turning into a hazard.

However, if you’re looking to remove some of the hard-water mineral deposits that may accumulate on the shower walls, you can apply a non-abrasive car wax to the walls in the same way you would on your vehicle. Doing so can also help restore the finish to a lustrous, like-new feel. Be sure to use a non-abrasive cleaning cloth like a terry cloth or paper towels to avoid scratching the finish.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help.

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.

Quick tips for maintaining your kitchen sink and garbage disposal

Here are some quick fixes to your garbage disposal & more.

Today we’ll explore all areas of the home’s kitchen sink, and we’ll give you some tips for quick fixes.

From time to time, we’ll receive calls from clients who state that their garbage disposal isn’t functioning properly. The common diagnosis is that the electrical cord at the back of the disposal and the pull-down weight to the faucet become interlocked and the disposal is unplugged. As a rule of thumb, the first thing you want to do if your disposal isn’t working is unplug it and be sure it has a good connection.

If waste becomes lodged in the disposal, avoid injury by first unplugging the unit before reaching in from the sink.

From there, find the disposal key contained within the base cabinet, and insert the key into the slot found at the bottom of the disposal. While rotating the key, guide a shop vac through the sink into the disposal to remove the waste; the suction power will usually do the trick.

Also under the sink, you’ll see some shut-off valves, the water supply to your dishwater, and the hot and cold water supply to the sink itself. If you experience any leaking here, simply turn the valves to the off position.

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When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners.

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Another issue we receive calls about is leaky faucets. Largely, these are easy fixes, and the common culprit is hard water if the homeowner doesn’t have a water softener. If the faucet seems to be losing pressure or is dripping, it can often be attributed to sediment buildup in the screen. An easy remedy is to use CRL, a scrub brush, or a vegetable cleaner to periodically scrub the screen.

To remove the screen, locate the tool clipped to the water supply line underneath your sink. The tool will be circular-shaped and fits perfectly inside the screen. By applying a little pressure toward the faucet head and turning the tool counterclockwise, the screen will eventually detach.

Once it’s been cleaned thoroughly, you’ll line the screen up with the end of the faucet head and again use the tool to secure it back onto the faucet head.

When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners; Norwex rags, 409, and Windex are all examples of environmentally friendly cleaning products you could use.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to check out our website at CharlestonHomesOmaha.com and view some of our models. We’re happy to help!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.