Regular maintenance and cleaning are the secrets to keeping a bathroom in superb working condition. But there is no guarantee that a tenant will understand how to properly maintain and clean a bathroom and may unintentionally damage a bathroom’s fixtures and elements.
For example, hard water (water with a high mineral content) is normal in several regions of the country. This type of water can cause mineral deposits to accumulate in and around plumbing and fixtures, rendering rubber seals to deteriorate, rust fittings, and leaving behind an unattractive ring in tubs, toilets, and sinks. Hard water can lead to leaky pipes, toilets, and faucets, and cause a shower to lose water pressure. If not attended to, it can also permanently stain bathroom surfaces, making them look dingy.
Regular maintenance is an important part of preventing a little rust or hard water deposit from eventually becoming a sizable predicament. In the shower, cleaning the shower head and the faucet on a regular basis with vinegar can ensure that they are working thoroughly and that the water pressure flows consistently. But most household cleaning products will not remove hard water buildup, and neither will abrasive sponges or scrub brushes. To clean fixtures without damaging them, tenants need to realize the right trick to do it or it may cause more detriment than good.
Other elements of a bathroom that often sustain accidental damage are cabinets and floors. With close proximity to water sources, water damage in a bathroom is always a concern. A small leak under a bathroom cabinet or a dripping faucet may not appear like an important issue to a tenant, but even small leaks are critical warning signs that something is malfunctioning with the plumbing and should be fixed quickly. Otherwise, the moisture from the leak could lead to damaged cabinets and, if ignored long enough, damage to the flooring or even the subfloor beneath the bathroom’s tile or laminate.
Working with wrong cleaning products on cabinets and floors are also considered a common source of accidental damage. Many tenants want to keep their rental home uncontaminated and in immaculate condition, but they may utilize harsh chemicals or other cleaning products that end up stripping the varnish off a wooden cabinet or compromising the seal on a tile floor. Exposed wood and grout are far more susceptible to mold and other moisture-related problems, and can briskly become not only an eye sore but also a health hazard.
It’s pertinent for property owners to ensure that their tenants have a good concept of proper bathroom maintenance and cleaning. But sharing this information with them and then checking to see what is being done can be inefficient and lead to exasperated feelings between tenant and owner. This makes a professional approach to educating tenants about property maintenance one of the best ways to maintain good tenant relations. At Real Property Management Azalea City, we can communicate the information tenants need and the oversight that property owners want to ensure that each rental home is kept in its best form. Contact us online or call our office at 251-345-6224 and see how we can help make your rental property ventures go smoothly and profitably.