Revamping your bathroom can be a daunting task, particularly if you’re going for full remodeling. Renovating can take anywhere from two to three weeks or go on for more than a month – depends on the type of work.
And once it is done, hopping into the shower in the newly remodeled space can be exciting. But, if you do it too soon, it can also undo a lot of your hard work. Showering too soon in the bathroom could lead to water streaks or water drip marks caused by moisture seeping into the new paint. It could also result in the leaking of surfactants, which are in your water-based paints. This leaking can cause soapy or oily spots on your new walls – and they likely won’t match your paint color either!
So, how long should you wait after a painting to take a shower?
There are two things to keep in mind. Cure time and dry time. The cure time is the time it takes for the paint to fully harden – this limits the chance of damage. You don’t HAVE to wait until the paint is cured, but if you can do that, your new paint job is likely to last a lot longer.
The dry time is the time it takes for the basic dry, and usually, you’ll be okay to shower straight after that. Before you do so though, here are a few things to keep in mind.
If You’re Getting Your Bathroom Painted
If you are painting your bathroom, you need to leave your bathroom to dry for a good amount of time. Generally, it takes 24 hours to use the shower, but that’s only when your wall is coated with a thin layer of paint.
It also depends on the type of paint that is used. While latex or semi-latex paints dry faster, oil-based paints (like enamel) don’t. Read the instructions before buying the paint for your bathroom and check what it says. You don’t want to be having a shower while the paint is still wet.
Tip: For latex paint, wait at least four hours, preferably 24 hours where possible. Enamel paint, wait at least three days.
If You’re Painting A Small Part Of Your Bathroom
Avoid direct contact with water. This mainly applies if you have just coated a small portion of your bathroom with paint. You can use the shower if the area is far from getting into direct contact with water but if it’s not, leave it to dry for about a day before using the shower.
You can also use a hairdryer to dry the area to fasten up the drying process. It depends on how well your bathroom is ventilated. It can take a long time to dry if it’s humid, so always try to ensure there is enough room for air movements to your bathroom.
Let Your Bathroom Breathe
One of the quickest and the easiest ways to use the shower is by ensuring your bathroom has enough room for air to flow in and out. You can do so by leaving your bathroom door and windows open for a day to dry up the paint faster. When you do jump in the shower for the first time, also make sure to have windows open as this will help prevent excess humidity.
If Your Is Bathroom Grouted And Tiled
Bathroom remodeling can mean a lot of work, especially if you want to get your tiles changed. It can take up to 48 to 72 hours to shower if new tiles are fixed. You need to wait for a day – preferably up to 24 hours completely – for the cement to dry if it’s a cement-based grout.
It’s always advised to wait for a day to two and leave it dry fully to avoid cracks soon after grouting. Leave it to harden and keep an eye on it for cracks so that you can get it quickly fixed though the chances are less.
Final Thoughts
Bathroom remodeling is challenging, and it can be even harder when you have a single bathroom at home. If you want to be completely sure, wait at least 1-3 days after you’ve finished painting before you jump in the hot water. In the meantime, you might like to head to your gym and shower there, to your office building’s bathroom, or see if the neighbor would mind if you showered at their house for a few days.
It’s better that you don’t risk causing your paint to sweat, or you’ll end up having to repaint the entire bathroom again soon.