Why Wet Rooms Are Notoriously Hard To Clean: Even If They Look Really Cool

In recent years, wet rooms were seen as the epitome of spa-like luxury experienced from the comforts of your own bathroom. This clever style of bathroom design is favored by interior design experts and HGTV stars like Leslie Davis, who revealed wet rooms are a favorite feature that'll instantly elevate your home. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of wet rooms, this open concept design is centered around the idea that the bathtub and the shower exist in the same shared space, very close together. You can compare wet rooms to walk-in showers with a deluxe upgrade. They are usually positioned in an area of the bathroom that is intended to get wet, unlike the majority of modern bathrooms in the United States, which have designated "wet" and "dry" spaces that are separated with a partition. 

Visually, this style of bathroom can be stunning and add character to your home's interior. However, there are some downsides associated with choosing this upscale design option for your home that can't be ignored. Despite the fact that the addition of a wet room can increase your home's overall value in the long run, they are extremely expensive to install up front and require a larger-sized bathroom if you don't want the overall layout to feel cramped and uncomfortable. But one of the biggest concerns surrounding wet rooms is that they are impractical and hard to clean. Here is why some people say that wet rooms aren't worth the effort when you consider the upkeep, and some more practical alternatives to this trendy design choice. 

One main concern surrounding wet rooms is that they're a less hygienic option and a nuisance to clean and maintain. Since the shower and the bathtub share the same space, the tub can accumulate residue when you take a shower, despite the fact that it was never even used. Since wet rooms usually require more square footage to avoid feeling cramped, you also have a larger area of floor space and surface area to clean compared to a traditional, smaller, and contained shower. Free-standing bathtubs close to walls can be hard to navigate while cleaning and also create nooks and crannies that are an invitation for mold and mildew if they're consistently getting soaked and not avidly maintained. 

Damp environments are notorious for being a breeding ground for bacteria. Since there is less separation between wet and dry surfaces in wet room designs, it makes sense that you would need to perform more routine cleanings over a larger amount of space to avoid an unhygienic environment. Between cleaning the walls, floors, tub, and fixtures, deep cleaning your wet room will likely take a lot more time than cleaning a traditional partitioned shower. Also, waterproof tiling and grout lines are notorious for grime buildup, so if your tiling is consistently getting wet, when it comes time to clean your wet room floors, it may require a good bit of time and elbow grease to cross off your to-do list.  

Whether or not wet rooms are worth it ultimately depends on personal preference and how much time and energy you're willing to dedicate to routine cleanings and upkeep. However, if you decide that maintaining a hygienic wet room is too much effort, there are clever alternatives that give your bathroom that spa-like feel. You can still find master bathroom ideas to make your space feel like a luxury oasis, without the need for an expensive remodel or hours spent scrubbing the walls and floors of your wet room. 

A roomy walk-in shower with airy glass doors is a more practical alternative to a spacious wet room, which can still provide you with freedom of movement, while keeping excess water contained. These can be used in tandem with an elegant bathtub positioned in a separate space, to allow you the best of both worlds in your bathroom's design. A stunning or bespoke freestanding tub with a shower head attachment can also provide a luxurious experience, especially if you don't have the space to accommodate a large wet room area. Since these designs take up less bathroom real estate, the process of cleaning them should be relatively straightforward, since there's less surface area to scrub and the space is more separated from the rest of your bathroom floor. Whatever you decide, it is still possible to evoke an air of luxury in your bathroom's design while minimizing the potential for headaches.