And I’m all about easy.
This is especially true when it comes to those little jobs that could benefit from a refresh.
By the way….no, we’re not talking about me…although I could really use a good spray tan myself. Winter is showing.
Recently, I had a small task on my list that was driving me batty. It’s here in this image….and while you couldn’t see it last week, trust me, it was there…
More importantly, *I* knew what was hiding in the shadows of that photo and it bothered me.
Rust.
Yes, rust on the soap / sponge holder.
This cute caddy came with a set of soap purchased from williams-sonoma (years ago!) and has been a part of our kitchen countertop since. About a year ago, I began to notice rust developing…
This particular soap / sponge holder gets a lot of love in the house because it sits near the kitchen sink, where I do dishes 3+ times a day, wash hands, entertain and more. The rust was even beginning to take over on the bottom…
I was more than aware of the issue because I’m the one cleaning the holder. I even bought a can of spray paint to refresh / re-paint the holder. But you know how it is, the little jobs get lost in the shuffle and that can ended up sitting on the garage shelf for a few weeks.
And hellooooooo, remember I just moved. Poor task was bottom of the pile.
So, yesterday I smacked myself and said “hellloooooo…come on, already!” and got to it. After a good rust removing scrub down…
Step two, add your cat to the box…
What is it about cats and boxes? They have open box radar! As soon as a box (or anything paper related) touches a surface, their body has to be around, on or in it.
If you have a cat, plan on additional time during this step. Charlie spent a good 10 minutes smelling the box as well as jumping in and out of it….
Once the box was “hair-free”, I added the holder….
Then grabbed my can of spray paint and gave it a thorough shake. I chose a satin nickel finish….
Then I sprayed away, allowing it to dry the recommended amount of time – about 1 hour…
I took this shot inside the garage last night for you to see how pretty the finish is…
This particular nickel finish isn’t as glittery as it appears….but when the lighting hits it right, it’s pretty!
This morning, on my way out the door to school, I gave the holder another good shot of spray paint and allowed it to sit and dry for 2 hours. It looks amazing and rust-free now!….
Lovely.
Small job = done.
And not afraid of its close-up…
Since many of you notice the little details in my photos (by the way – you guys are good!), thought I’d go ahead and share what soaps are in this holder and a kitchen tip.
The soaps are from Restoration Hardware. Love these…
Sadly, when looked up the link to connect here, I found they aren’t selling it online anymore. Sad! Maybe they’re available in-store?
Here’s a tip that has worked well for us and saves money. Instead of using a standard sponge in its original size….
Consider cutting it in half…
You’ll still have enough surface space for scrubbing and those great little corners for getting into nooks, but your sponge will last twice as long because you created 2 from 1….
If you have yet to try spray paint, consider starting small with a little item that needs refreshing. I have a feeling you’ll be addicted after your first experience.
This is EXACTLY what I needed! I have a hanging shower caddy that I recently noticed is starting to rust. Since Hubs is deployed, we don't have as much stuff in the shower, so I just took it out. I was about to toss it, then wondered if it could be painted. Glad to read that it can be! I'm not a huge fan of items like this (I prefer built-ins), but in military housing, you make do. 🙂
One quick question — how did you remove the rust prior to painting?
Thanks so much!
hi shari! i'm so glad i was able to help you find something for your needs. 🙂 great idea – would be great for those yucky shower caddies. didn't think of that!
all i did to remove the rust was to scrub hard with an old sponge while running under hot water. because the holder is made up of thin metal bars, it was hard to get in-between all of the grooves…so i did the best i could by scrubbing first. then i used a washcloth with hot water to wipe off any remaining rust. and i rubbed the cloth (like floss) in the tight grooves. the rust always comes right off, but comes back. 🙁 that is why i wanted to paint it once and for all.
hope that helps!
sam
I thought of spray paint when my new hanging caddy didn’t fit the shower head. I scrubbed and thought, “Spray paint?”. I get the color I want and spend less $$. Thank you, and the box is a great idea. Have always used drop cloths.
Hi Hetta!
You’re welcome! I hope this idea works for you…and yes, use a box – much much easier!
xo,
Sam
THANK YOU!! I have vintage soap caddies that go over the edge of my clawfoot tubs that are so gross looking because of the rust. I haven't found an inexpensive alternative, so I've been living with it. I will be repainting this weekend thanks to you being the wonderful guinea pig 😉 I just found your blog, so I'm off to peruse more of it .. thank you again!
Patty
hi patty!
great!!! so glad this idea will help you out! if you can, come back to let me know how it works for you. 🙂
sam
Hi–I'm confused. I also have a shower caddy that has rust and I've been meaning to scrub off.
But will the paint keep the rust from returning entirely?
hi!
the paint is supposed to do that – we'll see! the front of the can says it's a "rust preventive"…so i am hoping this will do the trick. i'm going to keep a close eye (as i usually do anyway) and be hopeful this keeps the rust from coming back.
here are some other things on the can that piqued my interested….
*breakthrough rust-preventive formula
*long lasting durability
*indoor and outdoor durability
hope this helps! let me know if you have more questions!
sam
Lol one of my cats loves playing in open boxes, empty trash cans, empty baskets…I dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood this past Halloween and I bought a cheap basket from Michael's as part of my costume. After Halloween, my cat claimed the basket as her own. She loved sleeping in it, sitting in it, getting in it and climbing back out and then back in again but since she's a kitten, she outgrew the basket within a month. That didn't stop her from constantly trying to get comfortable in it but I felt bad so I bought her a bigger one. She loves the new one but still tries to get comfortable in the smaller one sometimes. So funny! And Charlie is very cute. 🙂
I love what a coat of spray paint can do for something that might otherwise be thrown out! Great job!
Hi, I spray paint my rusty shower caddy, but the result was not smooth, the surface was rough n when i run my finger over it the paint dust was on my fingers. I wonder whether you have the same thing happen or i did it wrongly?