Ecobulb Weird Light Bulb

Lightbulbs used to be so much simpler. We always had the standard bulbs stored in the closet in case one would go out. I suppose you could say it happened regularly that a light would burn out, but it was easy to switch it out. Since we moved to the new condo five years ago it seems all of the lights are weird. The bulbs are supposed to last many, many years. The light above the bathroom sink went out and I knew it wouldn’t be easy - and I was right. The bulb is quite difficult to even get out and it is a pronged bulb that needs to twist and pop out. It looks strange and I thought we would need to go to the hardware store to find a replacement. That was until I remembered that we had just gone through this with the other fixture at least a year ago. At that time we bought a second replacement bulb thinking if one went out, the second would soon follow. Well, it didn’t soon follow but just happened, but at least we did have the replacement bulb that is supposed to last at least another five years? We rarely purchase backups any more because of the long lifetime - and they would be sitting on the shelf for just as long. Luckily the hardware store is just down the street. I’m reluctant to purchase things like this on Amazon for fear it might be the wrong item. I suppose in the end it’s worth it, but it just doesn’t seem as easy. 

52Frames Bathroom Weekly Photo Challenge

The unusual subject for the 52Frames photo challenge this week was “bathroom” with extra credit for public bathroom. I wasn’t very enthusiastic about it. But we thought taking a ride to the National Mall would be a good place to start. We parked in our old neighborhood on Capitol Hill and walked to the US Botanic garden where I knew they always have some flower arrangement by each sink in the women’s bathroom. Then we made our way over to the National Gallery of Art where there were several options. Unfortunately my reflection was too obvious and in the end I created a composite image using the high key cherry wood stalls and then painted in a self portrait in the mirror to match the surrounding color. My husband preferred the porta potties that were being installed on the mall for the march that was planned for the next day. I took a lot of photos of bathroom signs rather than the actual bathroom, but decided against those. The sculpture garden had a nice backdrop. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time or energy to walk over to the Hirshhorn Museum. Luckily there were a few decent options. But for the first time in a long time I put in the image I preferred rather than my husband’s choice. He is usually right, but I just didn’t like those porta potties. 

Bidet or Not?

It’s not exactly a pleasant subject. But lately we have been considering getting a bidet for the bathroom. Our problem is that we only have one bathroom. We didn’t want to risk having to manipulate the water works from the wall and cause a plumbing problem - even though there are many assurances that it’s a simple set up. So I researched all of that and finally figured out that there must be a “portable” bidet. We are not outdoorsy types, but there must be something people use in the wild. And having a portable item, it would always be out of sight and if and when there were guests in the house they wouldn't have to feel uncomfortable about using the toilet! What I found was a product called HappyPo from Germany. It was certainly simple enough. You basically fill up the bottle and use it. So I ordered the larger volume size bottle for both my husband and myself. Apparently some people take these items with them on vacation and pack them away in the luggage. It does really cut down the amount of toilet paper used and actually is better for you. I guess I never grew up around such things and didn’t think much about it - but my husband did. And then the pandemic came and everyone was worried about getting enough toilet paper. In spite of all that we are delighted with this simple little invention. I’m just sorry we didn’t think of it sooner. 

Rustoleum Metallic Accent Paint

I’m not sure what happened to the grab bars in the bathroom tub/shower. For whatever reason the area doesn’t seem to dry and the end result is some ugly looking rust on the underside. We usually hang the bath mat on the grab bar after use, and that doesn’t help. But I’ve been in the mood to touch up things lately so they look a bit more like new. We recently got some grout paint that was used to touch up the discolored grout. It worked really well. We got a new bath mat. It looks really nice. So I got some Rustoleum metallic accent paint called sterling silver. Of course I wiped down and cleaned the areas in question. And I used a sponge applicator for lack of anything else. The area is quite tiny and hardly observable. But I know it is there. So the first coat just seemed to be quite watery and didn’t cover anything. So I held a paper towel beneath the area in question and the paint just ran down like water, but the paint itself was much thicker. So rather than use the sponge applicator I found a cotton swab that was just the right size to dab on the paint. And this time it covered the area nicely. I waited half an hour and repeated the process again. It covered this time as well. It certainly doesn’t look as good as I would like, but it covers enough to hide the ugly rust. I have a feeling that it’s going to happen again. At least I have the paint we need to get the job done - and to keep the bathroom looking half way decent. 

Oxo Good Grips Suction Razor Holder

We have been trying to keep the bathroom tidy. Most recently we used some grout paint to clean up the discolored light grey grout. It worked remarkably well and has so far stood the test of time. The paint is waterproof and it seems to be doing a great job. And it will be worth the effort to keep it maintained if it needs to be. I still need to find an acrylic/plastic “tray” to fit in the shower indentation where the shampoo and soap bottles are stored. It’s a lot easier to keep that area clean without messing up the tile underneath. But it’s an odd size and will take some investigating to find something that fits. So when my husband took over my razor holder for his body washing cloths to hang, I needed to find another razor holder. I just don’t like stuff lying around on the bathtub ledge. I never wanted a bath tub to begin with, but we ended up with a huge soaker tub. Anyway, I found an Oxo good grips product that looked good. We have several good grips products in the kitchen. It arrived today through Amazon and I promptly hung it in the shower. After half an hour it fell off. The next time I moistened the product and the wall, so hopefully it will stay put. In the fine print it says that the hanger doesn’t work very well on textured surfaces - better on mirrors or solid flat tiles. Of course the large tiles in the shower are slightly textured. Anyway, it’s nice to try and keep things organized as long as the products do what they say they will. All I can say is anytime we fix little things to make things neater - we feel like we accomplished a lot. This is the excitement of our day!

Ecobulbs for the Bathroom

It used to be when a lightbulb went out it was easily replaced. We used to keep a lot of replacement bulbs around just for that purpose. But these days the light fixtures and bulbs that are required are not the old fashioned kind. Above the sink in the bathroom are two fixtures that have a very different stem. The bulbs do not screw in, they twist in, using two metal parts. Of course one of them went out this week and we didn’t have a replacement. So we took the bulb with us and went to the neighborhood hardware store. We found something similar and bought two - even though these bulbs are supposed to last for years. This brand says eight years. We have lived in this house over three years and have already had to replace two of these long lasting lights. I think the replacement soft light bulb wasn’t as bright as the other one that was replaced last year. My husband can’t tell the difference but I notice everything. So it will have to do since the bulbs cost $8.00 each. Now we have a bunch of the old fashioned bulbs that we still can use in the old fashioned lamps. We have a halogen lamp in the dining room that is even worse to change out - it may look like an interesting fixture but it certainly isn’t worth the effort to change. I burned my thumb on it one time and we broke the socket another time. Everything is getting more complicated. I used to think I could keep up with all of it. Now I’m not so sure. 

Bathroom Faucet Issue Resolved?

It seems there is something wrong in every room of our tiny condo. The door to the patio is very difficult to open and close. The paint on the kitchen cabinets is slowing peeling off. The floors have several spots that are raised. The bathtub seems to clog up a lot more than any place we have ever lived. There are a lot more “problems” - nothing serious but absolutely annoying because it is a brand new build. We even hear an occasional dripping but can’t figure out the source and believe me - we have great experience with water problems having lived in an 1890’s Capitol Hill condo. So when the bathroom water in the faucet was hardly running I had a feeling we would probably need to call someone in to check it. But before we did I looked up on line how we might be able to fix it. Since it was isolated to just this faucet it had to be something specific. I made sure the water handles were all turned to the left. Then I checked the faucet filter using a very large wrench to screw the piece off. And sure enough the filter was pretty clogged up. The water ran fine without the filter on, so we knew that was the culprit. So we removed the filter and brushed off the debris, and soaked it in vinegar for awhile. We put it back on and it is working at least as well as it used to, save for a few drips on the side. It feels very rewarding when you fix something yourself. Thank goodness for the internet.