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Along with bathtubs and showers, sinks are an important part of a handicap accessible bathroom. The proper sink allows people who are physically challenged or in a wheelchair to take care of their basic cleaning habits such as brushing their teeth, washing their faces and hands, and shaving.

Pedestal Sink

One type of handicap accessible sink is the pedestal sink or lavatory. This visually appealing sink has a thin pedestal base below the sink bowl. The pedestal should be thin enough so that it can fit between the wheelchair users legs. A thin pedestal also allows a person in a wheelchair to get close to the sink.

This type base also keeps the water pipes hidden. With hidden pipes there is no danger of knees or legs getting burned by hot water pipes.

Pedestal sinks are available in many different colors, allowing them to blend easily into the design of your bathroom.

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has standards for the height of a handicap pedestal sink. To be complaint, the ADA recommends that that the sink should be no more than 34 inches high. The knee space under the sink should be at least 27 inches high and 19 inches deep, with a width of 30 inches. The sink itself should be about 6 1/2 inches deep.

Obviously, there should be no vanity under the sink that a wheelchair could bump into. You should also allow about 4 feet of turning space in front of the sink so the user can more easily roll up to the sink.

Based on the size and color, the cost of a handicap pedestal sink can range between $200 and $400. Designer sinks can cost more.

Wall Hung Sink

Another option for the handicap bathroom is a wall hung sink. These are sinks that have been elongated so the bowl of the sink comes out further than on a typical sink. This allows the person in the wheelchair to roll up to and under the sink in order to use it.

Because the pipes may be exposed, they should be placed further back than on a normal sink. That’s so the person in a wheelchair won’t burn their knees or legs on the hot water pipe. Another option is to insulate the pipes so that any hot surfaces are covered.

Faucets

Sink faucets should also be more convenient for the handicapped person. That means a person should be able to operate it with one hand and it should, according to ADA standards, “not require grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.” (See 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design)

ADA accessible faucets can include the following types.

Lever operated

Push in

Electronically operated

Also, it shouldn’t take more than five pounds of pressure to operate these faucets.

The combination of an ADA compliant sink and faucet can be a useful and visually appealing addition to the handicap bathroom.

For more information about handicap accessible bathrooms, read Creating the Handicap Accessible Bathroom.

You can buy the above sinks and faucets through the following link:

Video Version

The shower is a wet environment where moisture can accumulate and lead to the growth of bacteria or mold. Black mold and other fungi in your shower can become a health risk. Shower chairs and shower seats, whether built-in or freestanding, are at risk of attracting mold and mildew. Even the rubber tips on the legs of many shower seats can allow bacteria to grow.

Additionally, some shower stools and shower benches have metal screws that may be prone to rust. To ensure that you reduce the chances for mold to grow or rust to develop, you are going to want to keep your shower chair clean.

How to Do It

Every time that the shower is used, make certain that the chair is wiped down. One of the best ways to do this is have a shower cleaning kit handy. Antibacterial cloths are available and all that really needs to be done is a simple wipe and dry. The idea is to get as much water off the chair as possible. Germs love to get into small humid places and a moment of your time can prevent this from happening. Be certain that you dry the top and bottom of the seat. If possible, remove the chair from the tub between uses so it can further dry off.

You should make certain that you include the chair as part of your regular bathroom cleaning routine. (Read Steps to Clean Your Shower for more details.) For best results, have a good antibacterial soap on hand and a number of brushes. Germs are able to get into the smallest of places and you need have brushes that will permit you to scrub and clean around screws and between cracks. A cloth will not be sufficient.

Most shower chairs also have drainage holes. You may want to use a bottle brush to be sure you can clean inside those holes.

Cleaning Teak Shower Benches

Teak is often the wood of choice for consumers who want to display a stylish type shower bench or seat in their bathroom. However, it is important that you make certain to follow all of the cleaning instructions that are recommended by the manufacturers. Any brushes or cleansers you use need to be able to kill germs and also be safe for the teak shower seat. Be certain that you do not to use any kind of brush or cleaning product that may leave scratches. Scratches and grooves are ideal germ breeding grounds.

When trying to clean teak do not use any kind of product that is an acid base. This will destroy the finish and may even ruin the wood. This applies to all acid bases including clouding vinegar. If you have a steam cleaner, you can use it to clean the wood, but make certain that the pressure is not so high that is going to damage the surface of the wood.

Shower chairs are going to be prone to germs. If you want to keep them bacteria free, remember to take them out of the shower when you are not using them and to keep them as dry as you possibly can. Proper care and maintenance will lengthen the life of any shower chair.

Most people don’t enjoy cleaning their shower, but when you think about the mildew and bacteria that can easily grow there you know it’s something you have to do. Follow these steps to make your shower cleaning easier.

Safety First

For the sake of safety make sure the room is ventilated by opening the window or door. Put on some rubber gloves and you’re ready to go.

Empty Out

Before you start cleaning your shower, empty everything out. This is not only a great time to get rid of any empty bottles and small bits of soap but also to take a quick inventory as to what you need the next time you go shopping for bathroom supplies.

Shower Door

If you have a glass shower door, do that first because you can step inside the shower while it’s still dry. Use white vinegar, a glass cleaner, or warm soap and water to clean the inside of the shower door. After you clean glass shower doors, remember to clean out the shower door tracks. An old toothbrush can be used to get down inside the tracks.

Inside the Shower

Now it’s time to start cleaning inside the shower. Start at the top of the shower, then clean from top to bottom. Get the shower floor last so all the soap scum will go down the drain.

First, rinse off the walls with a mixture of hot water and soap. The idea here is to loosen the scum that’s on the walls. Next, it’s time to scrub. You can use a scrubber sponge. That’s one that does not have a scouring pad that would scratch your tile. Some people use a mixture of ammonia and vinegar while others prefer a mildew spray.

For the grout between the tiles, a grout brush is recommended. This brush with a stiff bristled will help to remove the soap scum from the grout. After rinsing off the walls and grout you may then want to use white vinegar on the grout for deeper cleaning. Then, as before, rinse off the wall and grout.

If your walls and grout haven’t been done in a while, you may have to repeat this process the next day. Some people also swear by a steam machine. You can use this tool to clean both the walls and the grout.

To make the rinsing off process easier it will be helpful to have a handheld showerhead. These usually have a flexible hose that will let you move it all around your shower. Start rinsing from the top and go down the walls.

Shower head and fixtures

After the walls you should clean off your showerhead. If it’s been a while since it was cleaned, you might want to remove the shower head and soak it in vinegar. You can clean the showerhead holes by scrubbing with an old toothbrush. This is also the time to clean the hot and cold knobs or the valve that controls shower pressure. Many of these are stainless steel or have a chrome finish so be careful not to use any scrubber that can scratch them.

Shower Floor

Now it’s time to turn your attention to the shower floor. Begin by cleaning out the drain. Depending on your type of drain you may have to take off the drain cover or just reach in and grab the hair that has collected there. If you find this particular part of the job too unpleasant, there are drain cleaning tools you can buy that make his job easier.

Then clean your shower floor much like you clean the walls. Rinse all the dirt and soap scum down the drain.

Accessories

Last, but not least, if you use accessories such as a shower caddy or a freestanding shower seat, these also need to be cleaned. It might be easier if you take them out of the shower to clean them.

If you clean your shower on a regular basis, instead of waiting until you can no longer stand it, it will be a much easier and more pleasant job.

Read Tools to Use to Clean Your Shower for details about what equipment you might want to use to clean your shower.

Shower Seat Help

Two Types of Handicap Accessible Sinks

How to Keep Your Shower Chair Clean

Steps to Clean Your Shower

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