Ultimate Guide to Cleaning a Bathroom

A room used for personal hygiene; a bathroom can be unhygienic ironically. Every time you shower, you leave germs, bacteria, and dirt behind in the wet room. Bathrooms provide a perfect environment for the growth of fungi. Therefore, bathrooms should be cleaned thoroughly and regularly to avoid the accumulation of parasites and germs. These germs can lead to health risks. As renovations are neither cheap nor easy, so keeping the bathroom clean will help to preserve its characteristics.

Most importantly, if you are showering in a dirty bathroom then it can never be pleasant. Even after a good scrub, you will not feel fresh and you will end up feeling dirty when your bathroom is covered in mold and dirt. Cleaning the bathroom might seem like an easy task but it takes more effort than the other rooms in your home. Hence, you can clean your bathroom in easy ways to keep it alive. 

Ultimate Guide to Cleaning a Bathroom 

Unlike cleaning a bedroom or living room where you can use a vacuum and dusters to dominate the process, cleaning a bathroom involves a lot of scrubbing. Instead of using cleaning machines, most of the work is done manually. For this purpose, you will need a lot of cleaning supplies to completely clean your bathroom. The different parts of the bathroom are made of different materials. You will need different approaches to clean them.

First, you have to make observations to clean your bathroom. 

  • Evaluate your bathroom to determine what type of dirt you will be dealing with. Also, the parts of the bathroom need to be cleaned
  • Create a checklist of items to clean up 
  • Collect the cleaning supplies such as detergents/cleaners, gloves, brushes, sponges, buckets, scouring pads, cleaning cloths, and mops. 
  • Check the labels on the cleaners to make sure that they are not having any ingredient that is toxic or harsh for the bathroom materials. For example, tubs, sinks, tiles, accessories, etc. 
  • Clean the bathroom by removing the stuff that you don’t intend to wash such as basins, clothes, buckets, personal care products, and toiletries.  
  • Dust the windows and walls to remove the cobwebs. 

Cleaning Bathroom Step-By-Step

Take Dirty Linens to Laundry 

Firstly, bring the dirty shower curtains, rugs, towels, and liner to the laundry room to keep them out of your way. If the rugs are washable, then clean them in a cool place with regular detergent. Bath rugs are usually having urine droplets and other bacteria. So, you can wash them separately, making sure that bacteria are not mixed with the shower curtain or towels. 

You should be washing the bath towels after every two to three uses. You can wash them in lukewarm water with a regular detergent. Be careful that you do not overload the washing machine because it will not clean them properly. The shower curtain is a breeding ground for bacteria. To avoid getting sick, wash them on regular basis as your deep bathroom cleaning routine. 

Shower Curtain Cleaning Step-By-Step

To clean the shower curtains or liners, you will need a washing machine, laundry detergent, baking soda, vinegar, microfiber cloth, wool dryer balls, etc. 

  • Remove the shower curtain or liners from the curtain hooks. 
  • Check the label on the package of the shower curtain if they are machine washable. if they are machine washable, then you can easily wash them. Make sure that the washing machine is big enough to hold the curtains comfortably. It allows a proper cleaning. 
  • After washing them in the washing machine, you can hang them to drip dry. 
  • If the shower curtains or the liners are not machine washable, then fill a large bucket with warm water. Add detergent to it. 
  • Wash the shower curtains or liners with your hands and hang them to air dry. 
  • For a liner, you can use vinegar instead of laundry or detergent. Add a cup of vinegar to the water. It will help you to remove the layer of soap or detergent. 
  • After cleaning them with hands or in the washing machine and air drying, you can hook them back after cleaning the bathtub, grout, and tiles. It gives your bathroom a clean and fresh look. 

Declutter Your Bathroom 

Spring cleaning means ordering or decluttering your bathroom. For this purpose, you will have to recycle all the shampoo, body wash bottles, and medications that you have collected before and now they have expired. Drop them off at your local drugstore. Also, fix the medicine drawers and cabinets. You can throw away the things that cannot be reused or recycled. 

Taking out the trash from your bathroom every day will minimize the bacteria. It will prevent the bits of dental floss and tissues from spilling on the floor. If you are not doing it on regular basis, then line your trash can with a small trash can or plastic bag

It will help you to avoid scratching little and nasty things like cotton swabs covered in wax or strands of hair from the bottom of the trash can. 

Dust From Top to Bottom 

As a rule of thumb, start dusting at the highest point and continue down so that vacuum dust does not collect on the countertop that you just cleaned. You can use an electrostatic or dry microfiber cloth that is having an extension cord or wand. Also, you may need to follow the dry dusting with a damp microfiber cloth if it has been hot for a minute. 

  • Up High: Dust the ceiling of your bathroom where it meets the wall. Then run the duster down in all the corners from floor to ceiling. Now clean the exhaust fan, top of the windows, and light fixtures. 
  • In The Middle: Clean or dust the window sills and frames, shelves, countertops, cabinets, etc. in your bathroom. If you are having artwork in the bathroom, then clean it too. 
  • Down Low: Clean or dust behind the toilets and baseboards. Sweep the floor so that you can remove the dust that has been accumulated. It will avoid tracing as you continue to clean your bathroom. 

Scrub the Sink and Tub 

The sink gets pretty coarse around the drain and the base of the faucet. Give love to your bathroom sink with our guide on how to clean a porcelain sink. The porcelain sinks are beautiful and they shine when they are clean. The porcelain sink can look worn out and dirty when it is having dirt and debris, hair and stains on it. 

To clean a ceramic or porcelain sink, you can use a combination of different ingredients. These ingredients will ensure the long life of porcelain sinks with a shiny surface. To keep it in its best condition, it requires regular maintenance. To keep it clean from dirt and debris, you can use a combination of different products such as:

  • Lemon Juice and Baking Soda 
  • Detergent and Vinegar
  • Table Salt and Lemon 
  • Soap 

Tub cleaning is a simple cleaning but it comes with a few nifty tricks up your sleeve. You should be able to remove the stains, soap scum, and lime that build upon the bathtubs with a natural cleaner. if you have a hot tub, then take extra care to remove the bacteria and mold. It might have been there for a long time since you last deep clean it

Bathtub Cleaning Step-By-Step 

Cleaning a bathtub seems like an easy task but it requires some tricks that help you to remove the stains and gems. 

  • As a first step, put on the gloves and spray the tub with your favorite tile and tub cleaner. make sure that you have the top, bottom, and walls including the surrounding tiles. Add a pinch of powdered cleanser to the bottom of the bathtub. Make sure that you sprinkle it more around the drain because stains develop more around it. Let the powdered cleanser sit for five minutes before you start scrubbing it. 
  • To scrub it down, you can use an abrasive sponge or scrub brush for the bathtub and surrounding tiles. Pay special attention to the areas where you see accumulated molds such as corners and grout lines. 
  • To remove all the dirt and cleaner residue, rinse the bathtub thoroughly. If you are having an attached shower, you can simply turn on the shower and spray the cleanser. If not, then you can use a bucket filled with water to splash the cleaning supplies.
  • Now dry the bathtub completely with a microfiber cloth. It will avoid unsightly watermarks and streaks. If you are having a glass shower door with the bathtub, then you must dry it thoroughly. Also, if there are shower curtains or liners, you can hook them back after you are done cleaning the bathtub. 

Soap foam or scum is the vicious and insidious later of hard water minerals. It mixes the soap scum that sticks to the bathroom surfaces. You can tackle the grime or dirt with an easy soap scum cleaning method. 

Soap foam is that vicious, insidious layer of hard water minerals mixed with soap scum that likes to stick to your bathroom surfaces. Tackle dirt naturally with our guide on how to clean up soap scum.

Descale And Shine the Showerhead and Faucets 

Showerheads and faucets do not get much attention as they should be. You might notice is sometimes that the water is not flowing easily as it used to be. Sometimes a fancy stream of water aims directly into your eyes. It is because of the lime or hard water minerals stuck in the holes of the showerhead. They block the water flow and send the water in unexpected directions. 

Showerhead Cleaning Step-By-Step

Cleaning a shower head or faucet is one of the easy tasks. 

  • You can clean a shower head without removing it. For regular cleaning, you can fill a plastic bag with vinegar. Now hang the bag around the showerhead and tight it properly to make sure that the head is submerged in a plastic bag. You can use a rubber band or zip-ties for fastening the plastic bag filled with vinegar. 
  • Now let the vinegar do its work. Let it sit for an hour or maybe overnight. Once you are sure that the showerhead is clean, you can remove it. 
  • After removing the vinegar bag, run the shower to make sure that it flushes out the stuck vinegar inside the holes. You don’t want to be sprayed with vinegar when you take shower in the morning. You can use a soft cloth to polish the shower so that it looks like a brand-mew showerhead. 

To clean the showerhead by removing it can also be another way of keeping the holes clean. 

  • To detach the showerhead, you can simply spin it and get it unattached. Some fixed showerheads can be removed using a wrench instead of pliers. 
  • To remove the debris from the holes of the showerhead, run the faucet while holding it upside down. Also, you can use a toothbrush, vinegar, or paste of baking soda to remove the mineral deposits from the showerhead. 
  • To descale the outside part, use a toothbrush. The thin bristles will get into the tiny holes and unclog them. If the holes are still clogged, you can use a toothpick or needle to loosen the debris from the showerhead. 
  • Now you can soak the showerhead in a bowl full of vinegar. The vinegar will remove the remaining deposits of hard water minerals from the showerhead. Also, you can mix baking soda with vinegar for an extra kick. 
  • Once the showerhead is clean from debris and hard water minerals, rinse it with fresh water and cleaning agents. Polish it with a soft cloth and attach it back. Hence, you will be having the same old showerhead when you first installed it. 

Clean All of The Tile and Grout 

Cleaning the tile grout is probably not at the top of your cleaning to-do list. It makes it an ideal candidate for spring cleaning. Keeping your bathroom free from mildew, dirt and grime make your entire bathroom cleaner and brighter. It is not one of the hard jobs but it can be a fun job watching a discolored grout turning into white or original color. 

You can start with the walls of the shower moving up and down. Then you can move to the floor. Firstly, you will have to vacuum the floor completely to get all of the cranny and nook in the corner. Also, along the baseboard and behind the toilet. You can use a microfiber cloth or mop to clean the floor using vinegar and water. You can apply the same method for the walls too.  

Cleaning Grout Step-By-Step

To clean the grout properly, you can use the following steps:

  • Wash the selected area with warm or hot water. The hot water softens the layer of dirt on the surface of the grout. Hence, it makes it easier for you to remove it and clean it. 
  • Once the layer is softened, you can use a stiff-bristled toothbrush or grout brush to scrub it off. It will help the cleaner to get into the grout without getting blocked. 
  • Now apply the cleaner to the grout. Let it rest for a while so that it can do its work. It will take 5 to 10 minutes to tackle the dirt particles. Then you will be able to remove the tough stains easily. 
  • Now scrub the grout with a brush again. Make sure that the cleaner goes deep into the porous surface. Once you have cleaned the grout, wash it off with fresh water to rinse the cleaner from the grout. Also, you can use it for floor cleaning using a mop or microfiber cloth dipped in warm water and dish soap. 
  • In the end, apply the grout sealant. It is like protection to keep it clean for a long time. 

Clean The Toilet 

Cleaning the toilet can be fairly unpleasant if you haven’t cleaned it for a long time. When you are cleaning your bathroom then you want the toilet to be sparkling white. Also, you want to make sure that the seat and handle are free of germs. 

Cleaning Toilet Step-By-Step

To clean the toilet, you can use simple steps that will make the toilet shine again. 

  • In case of a splash, remove anything near the toilet. Then add the toilet cleaner that you have been using and pour a cup of baking soda down the toilet.  
  • While the baking soda and toilet cleaner are doing their job in the bowl, close the lid and clean the toilet from outside. Start cleaning it from the top with the spray or vinegar-water solution. Then wipe it down. Make sure that you have cleaned the hand, tank, and the part where it meets the floor. Also, clean every outside part of it including the lid. 
  • Then clean the toilet seat. You can use the vinegar-water mixture for cleaning the top, bottom, lid, and rim of the toilet. For deep cleaning, you can remove the screwdriver from the seat. 
  • Till now, the mixture in the bowl should have done its work. With the toilet brush, you can scrub the top of the bowl down and then hold it. Now flush the toilet with the cover down to avoid splashing. Above the freshly cleaned toilet bowl, clean the toilet brush by using bleach or disinfectants on the bristles of the brush. Let it sit for few seconds and then rinse it. 

As a result, you will be having a shining white toilet with a shining bowl. Also, the toilet brush will be disinfected from germs or bacteria.

Clean The Mirror 

Your beautiful face might have been hidden behind the toothpaste or soap splashes for a long time. To make it crystal clear again, you can use vinegar or glass cleaner in a spray bottle. Vinegar can be mixed with the water in the spray bottle. 

Now spray it on the glass or mirror and use a microfiber cloth to wipe it down from top to bottom. It reduces scratches and streaks. Also, don’t forget the bathroom window, shower glass door, and glass light fixtures. 

Replace The Linens and Restock the Necessities 

Nothing can be more satisfying than outfitting the sparkling clean bathroom with fresh linens. Take the cleaned shower curtains or liner, towels, and rugs out of the laundry room and put them back in the bathroom. Also, stock up the missing toiletries such as shower supplies, hand soap, toothpaste, shaving supplies, and most importantly toilet paper. 

To make it easier, you can make a list that you want to stock up after cleaning your bathroom. Once you are done with cleaning, you enjoy the few minutes in the washroom with sparking basin, showerheads, toilet, bathtub, shower curtains, bathroom windows, mirror, etc. 

How Often You Should Clean Your Bathroom? 

If you could see what lives on the surfaces of the bathroom under a microscope, your skin might crawl. The teeny tiny microbes and bacteria consisting of different fungi, soil, viruses, etc. can invade the regularly used places. Cleaning your toilet before it becomes a biohazard can help avoiding different diseases and sicknesses.  

Once you have followed the step-by-step guide to clean the bathroom, you should be cleaning it on regular basis. Well, it depends entirely on the home activities or schedule. If you live alone in an apartment, then you can clean it on weekly basis. 

But if you live with a family, then you need to get it cleaned on an almost daily basis. Leaving it for the weekends or end of the month can make your bathroom look dirtier than ever. To make sure that you are safe from different bacteria, clean your bathroom at least once a week. It will make your bathroom shine and give you a fresh feel. Also, it will protect you against harmful diseases. 

Sink, Basin, and Toilet 

It is said by the professionals that E. coli, an intestinal bacterium, can be found within six feet of the toilet and in the sink too. When you don’t clean the sink, basin, and toilet for more than a week, then you can be exposed to this bacterium causing sickness. To be on the safer side, you should be cleaning the sink and basin daily so that it is not contaminated with such bacteria. 

Bathtub and Shower Curtains 

On the other hand, the bathtubs should be cleaned after every two weeks. If you shower regularly, then you might need to clean your bathtub once a week. Talking about the shower curtains, they should be disinfected weekly. Remove them and wash them in the washing machine at least once a week. 

As a result, you will be feeling fresh after taking shower in a clean and shiny bathtub with clean curtains. If the shower curtains are not clean, then some people might get throat, eye, or skin irritation. 

Rugs 

If you are having pets, then you should vacuum the rugs weekly. It will help you to keep the dirt, dust, and allergens out of your reach. After a couple of weeks, wash the floor thoroughly and disinfect. As you know, the rugs can be having urine droplets. It means it makes it a hazard for you. Hence, you should be cleaning the bathroom rugs once a week.

Towels 

Bath towels host staph and fecal bacteria that can grow if you don’t dry them fully. Also, dandruff-causing fungi can grow in bathing towels. It is recommended by the professionals to swap the towels every other day. If you keep on using the same towel for days or weeks, you will be welcoming different diseases.

Doorknobs 

Doorknobs in the bathroom are more likely to catch bacteria and let it stay for a while. The bacteria will transfer to you as soon as you grab the doorknob. It means when you come out of the washroom after washing your hands, your hands are not disinfected properly. 

To be on the safer side, you can disinfect the doorknobs once a week. If there is an illness in your home, then you might disinfect it after two to three days. 

Cleaning Bathroom – Keep It Clean and Disinfected

Cleaning a bathroom might not be an easy task or a fun thing to do. But it needs to be done often because we get a lot of contact with toilets, showerheads, basins, etc. If you keep a systematic approach then you can clean the crucial areas of the bathroom. Instead of using odd cleaning methods and leaving some areas of the bathroom uncleaned, you can use step-by-step cleaning methods. 

The cleaning methods ensure that you get a clean, disinfected, shining, and fresh feel in your bathroom. The bacteria present in the bathroom on different accessories make it a hazard for you. So, it is preferred that you clean it once or twice a week to be safe from harmful bacteria. The post-cleaning shower will make you feel fresh like never before. 

A Few Things to Remember While Cleaning Your Bathroom

Clean Dry Before You Clean Wet

You will become annoyed if you go to clean your bathroom and grab right for the clothes and sprays. To simplify your task, dust everything first, giving close attention to the toilet and baseboards as well as light fixtures, counters, and even the bathtub’s edges using your duster. You can remove stains, smudges, and filth without turning the hair and dust that a dry dusting removes into wet sludge.

Save the Disinfectant for Where It Matters

Your bathroom will feel and smell very clean after being thoroughly disinfected. However, none of us ever wants to waste another bleach or cleaning wipe. Save the disinfecting for the areas of the toilet that are the dirtiest and clean the rest of it using all-purpose cleansers or gentler distilled white vinegar.

Gather Your Cleaning Arsenal

The first step to a comprehensive bathroom cleaning is to make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you require to keep your bathroom looking its best. Instead of running to and from your bathroom in search of cleaning supplies, bring everything there so you can stay focused and complete the chore as quickly as possible. supplies and equipment.

Clean Top to Bottom

The bathroom should follow the same general cleaning guidelines as any other room. You may avoid undermining your cleaning efforts by making previously cleaned areas filthy again by beginning at the top level and working your way down.

For instance, if you mop the floor first and then wipe down the countertops, your just-cleaned floors will become soiled once more. Instead, begin at the top and work your way down with each new form of cleaning, such as dusting, wet cleaning, etc.

Vacuum and Remove Bathmats and Towels

Any bathmats or rugs you have in the bathroom should be vacuumed to get rid of extra dust and debris. Next, wash and dry your mats and towels in the washing room. Your freshly cleaned bathroom will need new, fluffy linens, and for the best cleaning, the floors should be completely bare.

Dust or Vacuum from Top to Bottom

Take out your duster or a dry microfiber cloth and start by dusting the highest level that requires it. This includes the baseboards, worktops, exterior of the toilet, and light fixtures. If you can vacuum rather than dust, that is acceptable. The exterior of the toilet, the baseboards, and in particular the flooring may be affected by this.

Clean Soap Dispensers and Other Countertop Items

These need to have been dusted already. The next step is to “wet” clean them. Your soap dispensers and any other objects you have on the counter, such as a vase or a dish for jewelry, should be cleaned using an all-purpose cleanser and a cloth.

Clean Counters

Use a granite cleanser if your counters are made of granite to maintain their finest appearance over time. Use an all-purpose cleaning if not. As you wipe down the countertops, you will likely knock dirt and dust into your sink, therefore it is crucial to complete this step before cleaning your sink or sinks.

 Clean Floors

The baseboards first. Cleanse them off quickly. Next, clean the flooring. The simplest method for cleaning the flooring in a small space is to use a cloth and all-purpose cleanser. Do not forget to clean the area behind and around the toilet’s base, where dirt and dust gather.

Disinfect Where Necessary

Disinfecting should only be done after cleaning. Use a disinfectant spray or numerous wipes on high-touch points or particularly unclean surfaces, such as doorknobs, faucet handles, cabinet handles, and the toilet seat. Additionally, you might want to clean any toilet-apron-damaged sections of the wall or floor with a disinfectant wipe.

Do the Finishing Touches

After you have finished cleaning the bathroom, empty the trash can and, if it has a cover, clean it. Refill your soap dispensers to ensure that no one is without soap when they most need it. Make sure you have lots of supplies, including toilet paper. Hang new towels and replace your previously cleaned and dried bathmats.

If a deeper clean is required, perform these tasks on a monthly or irregular basis

The weekly maintenance will be easy with the help of the aforementioned checklist. However, certain portions of your bathroom will need a thorough cleaning once a month or every few months.

Here is a list of some duties that don’t have to be completed regularly but nevertheless need to be crossed off the list:

  • Cleaning shower liners and curtains. These could get moldy and contaminated. Both cloth and plastic shower curtains may be laundered in the washing machine.
  • Scrub the grout and tile. Depending on the state of your bathroom, aim to clean the tile around once a month and the grout perhaps three or four times a year. Using Bar Keeper’s Friend and a scrub brush, you can clean your grout.
  • Cleaning the shower heads. Distilled white vinegar and water should be added to a bag until it is about one-third full. Use a rubber band to secure it to your shower head, then leave it there for a few hours or overnight. Take out the bag, use a brush to remove any remaining filth, and then turn on the water for the shower head.
  • Clean the area around the toilet hinges. In this concealed space, things become imprisoned. Without taking off the seat, you can’t access it entirely. This is especially important if you’re smelling anything off in your otherwise clean restroom.
  • Get rid of soap scum. Warm water, dish soap, and distilled white vinegar are combined to form a solution. Spread it on any fixtures that have soap scum concerns, including glass shower doors. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes, then clean. To finish, use glass cleaner to get rid of any last traces of streaks.

Bathroom Cleaning Tools You Might Like to Have on Hand

  • A microfiber cloth. They remove grime, polish metal, and don’t leave lint on mirrors.
  • Window cleaner. Choose a specialized glass cleaner that evaporates rapidly and will not leave streaks to get your mirrors and shower doors, if applicable, looking sparkling clear.
  • Cleaning agent. Baking soda is excellent for cleaning sink basins, but for tough stains in bathtubs and showers, you might need something a bit more potent, like Bar Keeper’s Friend.
  • The vacuum cleaner. Prepare your finest vacuum cleaner and nozzle attachment for use.
  • A general-purpose cleaner. This will be used to clean soap dispensers, polish faucets, etc.
  • cleans the stone. Use a cleanser that will not harm your granite countertops over time if you have some. Granite may be dulled and etched by vinegar or other acidic cleaners.
  • Duster. To clean light fixtures, door frames, and other areas that are challenging to reach with a cloth, use a duster with an extension wand. Baseboards and the toilet are also easy to clean with dusters.
  • Scrub brushes and pads. Sinks and bathtubs are cleaned with scrub pads. The walls and floors of the tub and shower are scrubbed with a bigger brush, whose bristles remove debris so you may wash it away. Finally, a little detail brush may assist you to remove debris from niches and corners, around faucets and drains, and wherever else a larger brush cannot reach.

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