Bathrooms are easily one of the toughest places in a home to keep clean. Staying ahead of the mess in a home with lots of foot traffic is a battle in itself, but the biggest challenge is the grime that builds up slowly over time. Beyond the usual soap scum and hard-water deposits, stubborn rust…
Rust-Proof With a Beauty Must-Have
When shower products in metal canisters come into contact with water and oxygen, rust inevitably forms and leaves behind stubborn orange rings. But there’s a surprisingly simple solution that will keep your shower niche stain-free: clear nail polish.
To rust-proof your canisters, simply paint a thin coat of polish along the bottom rim of any metal container. The coating creates an airtight barrier against lingering moisture, and because it acts as a permanent protective seal, you won’t have to worry about rust forming until you replace the canister. (While any color of nail polish will work, clear is the preferred option, as it’s less likely to cause scuff marks or leave behind unsightly drips.)
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Get a Little Crafty
If you don’t have clear nail polish but happen to be a crafter, you’re in luck. Instead of buying a new bottle of nail polish, you can fire up a hot glue gun. In a similar fashion, applying a ring of hot glue to the bottom rim of the canister creates a durable plastic barrier that keeps moisture out and rust at bay. After lining the rim with hot glue, immediately press the can down flat onto a sheet of parchment paper on your countertop. This step flattens the warm glue before it hardens, ensuring the can stands perfectly upright in the shower. And because parchment paper is coated in an ultrathin layer of silicone, it will peel right off once the glue cools.
