Noble Bathroom Furniture Archive

The toilet that does it all

For most people, having a toilet that flushes properly is their major concern, but for those with money to burn ($10,000 to be exact) the Neorest 750H by TOTO is the be all and end all of toilets.

Inspired by modern architecture, this high-tech toilet features a heated seat, massage function and even has two ‘sanitising nozzles’ which TOT claims to eliminate the need for toilet paper. The toilet also features a lid that automatically opens and closes for you.

Ergonomically designed to give the best seating position, the Neorest 750H has a deodoriser to get rid of unwanted smells and also has a built-in dryer for your delicate areas. The stainless-steel sanitising spray nozzles provide ‘the ultimate in personal cleansing’ according to the manufacturer and the nozzles also clean themselves meaning virtually no maintenance needed.

Neorest 750H 2

The included remote control also lets users adjust the water pressure and temperature for the ultimate comfort.

When the user has finished washing, drying and massaging themselves, the Neorest 750H toilet automatically flushes and closes the lid.

If you cannot afford the $10,000 (£6,000) asking price for the Neorest 750H toilet, the company also offer a more affordable Brondell Swash 1000 Bidet, a universal toilet seat that provides the same cleaning, deodorising and heating functions at a more reasonable $400 (£240).

Neorest 750H

Removing grout

Tiles last forever but there will come a time as sure as night follows day that you will need to remove the grout in your bathroom or kitchen, the shower is also particularly susceptible to mould growth, if you have an over bath shower or you do not have a modern shower cubicle.

Grout

It is a job that most people put off doing, but it really is a simple DIY task and it will transform the look of your wall when this is removed and replaced. If you use the right tools, you can expect to be able to remove nearly every single trace of the old grout. Let’s begin by looking at the tools you will need to remove grout. The first thing to do if the grout is in good condition but badly stained with mould, try first using a strong bleach solution on the grout before resorting to raking out the grout. There are also a number of proprietary solutions that you can spray onto the surface which are known to be effective. If this does not work to your satisfaction then removing the grout and re-grouting is the only way, but first put the plug into the basin or bath, or cover the shower tray. Remember don’t let bits of grout get into the waste pipe and cause a blockage and you will have another job to do! Removing the grout is best achieved using a mechanical tool which can be hired, or you can buy a tungsten tipped tool to rake out the joints. Don’t press too hard on the grout removal tool or you may slip and scratch the tiles. Next you should clean out the joint lines with an old paintbrush and a clean sponge and also wipe a solution of bleach over the area to kill off any mould growth spores. You are now in a position to re-grout the area and it is important that the correct grout is used, waterproof grout is essential for a tiled shower or over bath shower.

DIY Tips – Sealing a basin

Over time the important seal around the bathroom basin or sink can become cracked, or discoloured and require replacing. This is not difficult to do and even if you have not tackled a DIY project before, it is not difficult to achieve a good result. It will take under thirty minutes and you will only need some kitchen and bathroom sealant readily available at a DIY store, a mastic gun, simple craft knife, a small amount of white spirit, latex gloves and a cloth.

First remove the old sealant by using the craft knife ensuring that all the old seal is removed. Now make sure that the surfaces are as clean as possible and use a cloth dampened with white spirit to remove any grease and dirt, ready for the new sealant.

The next step is to cut the tip of the sealant nozzle at 45 degrees, around 15-20mm from the end, to do this we suggest that you unscrew the nozzle and trim off the tube seal. Screw on the nozzle and fit the tube into a mastic gun. Now using an old card or piece of old wood test the sealant flows out in a smooth bead. It is important for you to practice, try running a smooth continuous bead of sealant on the inside edge of a cardboard box.

Beginning at a corner, gently press the gun’s trigger and form the bead around the basin lip with a smooth continuous movement. Keep the nozzle just above the worktop and tiles. Remove the gun a quick movement from the basin at the end of the bead and rest it over some newspaper to catch the excess sealant. Smooth the edges with your finger, using the disposable latex gloves to protect your hands. Run your finger along the bead in a smooth action so the edges blend with the basin edge and worktop.

Carefully clean away any spilt sealant away from other parts of the basin, but be careful not to touch the new seal until it has had a chance to dry completely.

 

DIY Tips – Replacing a tap

Bristan Jute Eco-Click Mixer Tap

The modern tap is so much better than its predecessor and with a huge array of taps using modern technology at UK Bathrooms; it is worth considering replacing the old ones in your bathroom. This is not a difficult job and is something that a person with some basic DIY skills and tools can do easily.

The first thing that you must do of course is to turn off the water supply. Now this may not be as straightforward as you think because with the cold supply this can be directly fed from the mains, but in a property that has been built within the last fifty years, it will almost certainly have an indirect supply. This means that only the cold water to the kitchen will be fed directly from the mains supply, the remaining taps in the home, both hot and cold are supplied through a tank in the roof space and it will be necessary to drain this.

Turn off the supply to the house and then run the water off through the hot and cold taps. When the water stops running you can now set about replacing the taps.

One of most fiddly parts of this job is getting the old tap off which is held in place with a large back nut. You may find this to be quite inaccessible; you will need a basin spanner which can be bought from a hardware supplier or plumbers merchant.

Firstly unscrew the nut holding the water pipe to the tap and then unscrew the back nut holding the tap to the basin you should now be able to remove the tap from the basin. Now put the new tap in place and make sure that it has a slip washer or a silicone bed to sit on and ensure that it is securely tightened.

If the tap you are removing has a flexible connector then it is straightforward, simply reconnect it. If not it will pay to fit a flexible connector which again you can buy at a plumbers merchant. It will be necessary to cut the existing copper pipe down in order to accommodate the flexible connector. This can be done with a junior hacksaw or pipe cutter.

The flexible connector fits onto the copper pipe by using a compression fitting and this requires a couple of spanners. Put the nut of the compression joint onto the end of the pipe, and then push the “olive” ring onto the end of the pipe. Next push the body of the flexible connector on to the pipe and screw it up with the nut, using the spanners to tighten up the nut. As you tighten it up the brass “olive” is compressed and creates a water tight seal.

Turn on the water supply to fill the cold and hot supply tanks, then stand back and admire both your handy work and your modern up to date taps.