While we all try to keep our bathrooms as clean as possible, it is one of the hardest rooms to keep clean because of how frequently it gets used. If you have trouble keeping your bathroom clean, you need to learn how to clean a bathroom and a quick plan of attack to get it sparkly again.
For many, cleaning the bathroom is one of the most dreaded household chores that have to be tackled. From the mildew and soap scum to the dirt and hair, getting this germ-filled zone isn’t an easy task.
If you’re ready to tackle the gross and messy situation, here’s how to clean your bathroom quickly, so you can continue with enjoying the rest of your day.
- The Best Way to Clean a Dirty Bathroom
- Gather Your Cleaning Supplies to Disinfect a Bathroom
- Clean Your Bathroom Ceiling
- How to Clean Your Bathroom Ventilation Fan
- Best Way to Clean Bathroom Walls
- How to Deep Clean a Shower
- Cleaning Your Bathroom Shower Doors
- How to Clean Your Bathtub
- How to Clean a Toilet
- Cleaning Bathroom Sink and Countertops
- How to Clean the Bathroom Mirror
- Best Way to Clean a Bathroom Floor
- Deep Cleaning a Bathroom Drain
- How to Eliminate a Smelly Bathroom Drain
The Best Way to Clean a Dirty Bathroom
Cleaning your bathroom with vinegar isn’t anyone’s idea of a fun time, but it is something that must be done unless you enjoy horrifying your family and friends when they dare to visit. It is necessary that you put on your rubber gloves, break out your bathroom cleaning checklist, and get to work.
The bathroom cleaning process isn’t as hard as you think, and you’ll be pleased when you effectively rid your bathroom of that nasty soap scum and lurking germs. Follow this streamlined process for cleaning a bathroom step by step and go from grimy and gross to sparkling clean in no time.
Gather Your Cleaning Supplies to Disinfect a Bathroom
Before you can start the nitty-gritty process of giving your bathroom a deep clean, gather your cleaning products and equipment. Collect everything beforehand so that you aren’t wasting a bunch of time searching for a tool or your best natural bathroom cleaner while you are in the thick of it.
Find all your supplies and bring them into your bathroom, so that they are easily accessible as you start the bathroom cleaning process. Once you have all your cleaning supplies in one convenient place, it’s time to get started.
When you clean and disinfect the bathroom, the best way to clean a dirty bathroom is to begin at the highest part of the bathroom and work your way down.
Clean Your Bathroom Ceiling
You may not know this, but microscopic particles of soap will hitch a ride on the mist from your shower and end up leaving a nasty film on the ceiling of your bathroom.
This film can ultimately cause grime and mildew to build up, making your bathroom ceiling an essential area in your bathroom to clean. To get this film off the roof, you can use a homemade all-purpose cleaner on the ceiling.
To make this DIY organic bathroom cleaner spray, add all ingredients to the bottle and replace the top. Shake the bottle. To clean the bathroom ceiling, apply a layer of the cleaner to the ceiling with a soft, clean cloth. Turn the shower on and let the steam and cleaning solution mix for about 20 minutes, then wipe off the cleaner.
How to Clean Your Bathroom Ventilation Fan
The ventilation fan in your bathroom is something that you don’t even think twice about. Unfortunately, just like every other surface, the bathroom fan can get incredibly dirty. Since it is one of those areas that are out of sight and out of mind, the chances are high that it needs a good cleaning.
Ventilation fans inhale dust and other airborne particles that will eventually linger on the blades. To clean the ventilation fan in the bathroom, start by removing the vent cover and soaking it in warm water and liquid dish soap. Rinse the cover clean and allow to air dry.
While the cover is drying, use a clean, stiff paint brush to wipe dirt from the motor and use the vacuum cleaner to suck up any debris. When you’re done, replace the cover.
Best Way to Clean Bathroom Walls
The walls of your bathroom are easy to overlook when you’re in the process of cleaning.
Whether the walls in your bathroom are painted, paneled, tiled, or made with natural stone, they need to be cleaned periodically to remove a variety of substances like dust, cobwebs, stains, and soap scum. Continue reading to find out the best way to wash walls and get them clean fast.
Before you start making this natural bathroom wall cleaner, ensure you are in a ventilated area and wear a rubber glove to protect your hands. In a large bucket, combine the ingredients.
Use a sponge to apply the cleaner directly to the walls, and rinse with clean water. If your walls are textured, use old socks or nylon stockings to clean the walls instead of a sponge, which might tear and leave hard to remove bits on the walls.
How to Deep Clean a Shower
When you clean your shower, start from the top, at the shower head. The shower head can become clogged with soap scum and mineral build up, decreasing its efficiency and diminishing the flow of water. Clean calcium deposits from a shower head with a plastic grocery bag, some white vinegar, and a rubber band.
Pour enough vinegar into the grocery bag to fully submerge the shower head nozzle and secure bag in place with a rubber band. Allow it to soak overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and run water through the shower head to rinse.
Next, remove the shower curtain and liner and place them in the washing machine with a few old towels and your regular laundry detergent. The old towels will act as a scrubbing agent and help to rid the shower curtain of soap scum and mildew. When the wash cycle is finished, rehang the shower curtain and liner and allow it to dry.
As the shower curtains are being washed, move on to cleaning the shower walls and shower doors to remove shower grime. Remove everything from the shower stall and quickly rinse down the walls and shower floor.
Using a homemade natural shower cleaner spray can help you to save some money and keep toxic chemicals out of your home.
Add the white distilled vinegar and dish soap to the spray bottle, and gently swirl to combine. Next, add the essential oils to the mix, replace the cap, and shake well.
Spray the shower walls and floor generously with the spray and use it for cleaning glass shower doors with accumulated soap scum and hard water stains. Allow it to sit on the surfaces for about ten minutes.
If there are any extra dark stains, be sure to leave the shower cleaner on for double the time. This method will work to remove hair dye from the tub and ensure all dark stains have been eliminated.
Use a clean rag to wipe the shower walls clean. For the best results, use this cleaner every day after you shower to keep the shower walls and floors clean between deep cleanings.
Cleaning Your Bathroom Shower Doors
If you have shower doors that are glass, you know how grungy they can look in between cleanings. If your house has hard water, it can quickly deposit minerals on your shower doors and coat your shower doors with a grimy layer of soap scum.
Fortunately, you won’t have to spend hours to clean the glass shower door when you have so many other tasks ahead of you. To get rid of soap scum, dirt, and mineral buildup, make and use this simple and inexpensive DIY soap scum cleaner that costs pennies to make and seconds to assemble.
Using a microwave-safe dish, heat the vinegar on high for about two minutes. Add the vinegar and dish soap to a spray bottle, replace the cap, and gently shake to mix. Spray the cleaner on your glass shower doors and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
Use a sponge to scrub the glass and warm, clean water to rinse the soap off the surface of the doors. Spray some glass cleaner on the doors, and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth.
How to Clean Your Bathtub
When you try to relax in a visibly dirty bathtub, it doesn’t feel like you’re getting clean, despite the soap and water that you use. To keep surface grime at bay, cleaning a bathtub should be a regular priority.
Getting your tub free of soap scum, lime scale, dirt, and mineral deposits can seem like a difficult job, but in just a few steps and with a natural bathtub cleaner, you can get your bathtub clean in no time.
Before cleaning the disgusting bathtub, remove all the toys, toiletries, soaps, loofahs, and bottles. This is the time to get rid of empty bottles and products that you don’t use anymore.
Use a clean cloth to wipe down each item as you remove it to eliminate the slimy soap scum that can build upon them. To get bath toys clean, place them in the dishwasher, or set them aside to put back into the bathtub when you’re done.
If you have mildew riddled and dirty grout and tile, you can use a natural tile and grout cleaner and grout brush to tackle the mess. Start from the top and work your way downward and then thoroughly rinse away the tile cleaner residue.
If you have a Jacuzzi or hot tub, you should apply these methods for cleaning them and taking particular care with the jets. It is even possible to clean a hot tub without draining it completely. A long-handled brush can be helpful for stains below the water line.
In a gallon container, mix the baking soda, ammonia, white vinegar, and water. Stir the mixture to combine the ingredients. Use a funnel to add the grout cleaning mixture to a spray bottle.
Spray the cleaner on the grout line and allow it to sit for several minutes. Use a medium-bristle brush to scrub the grout lightly to lift stubborn stains and dirt. Rinse clean with warm water.
Next, use an all-purpose cleaner to clean the walls. Thoroughly wipe down the walls, paying close attention to any dirty or sticky areas and the surfaces surrounding the faucets and showerhead.
Open the window or turn the bathroom fan on to help ventilate the area. If your bathtub drain is clogged, or it has been some time since it has been cleaned, you’ll want to clear it out by pouring half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by the white vinegar. Allow the ingredients sit for several minutes to work out the clog, then rinse with hot water.
After you’ve cleaned the drain, it’s time to tackle the inside of the tub. Spray down the surface with your all-purpose cleaner and let sit for at least five minutes.
Then, work your way from the top to the bottom, wiping down the tub with a clean, microfiber cloth. Thoroughly rinse the area with fresh water. Use a clean towel to dry out the bathtub, making sure to wipe away any residue. This will also take care of leaving behind water stains.
How to Clean a Toilet
Toilet cleaning can be an incredibly unappealing chore. While it isn’t a complicated process, it is possible to get it wrong and spread the bacteria and viruses that tend to thrive there. Not only does a proper cleaning technique give you superior results, but it can also save you energy and time when cleaning the toilet.
Cleaning a toilet is a messy job, so you want to be sure to remove everything from around the toilet to avoid getting cleaner or toilet water on your items. Put the lid down and flush the toilet. Raise the lid and apply natural toilet bowl cleaner to the toilet bowl. To prevent the soap from being diluted, try to add the detergent as close to the rim as possible.
Pour the cleaner recipe ingredients into a spray bottle and spray the inside of the toilet bowl. To prevent a diluted cleaner, add the cleaner as close to the rim as you can.
Allow the toilet bowl cleaner to sit for five to ten minutes to allow it to soak into the toilet grime. While you are waiting for it to soak, clean the outside of the toilet.
Start at the top of the toilet to prevent the dirt, grime, and cleaning solution from dripping on a surface that is already cleaned. Spray the outside of the toilet tank, handle, and tank edges with the natural toilet bowl cleaner, and wipe.
Finally, wipe down the outside of the bowl. Start with the front and sides, and then move down to the bottom edges where it meets the floor. Before you move on to cleaning the rest of the toilet, quickly mop the floor around the toilet, which is probably pretty dirty.
Move on to the toilet seat, which is the central part of the toilet that you come in contact with, which means it shouldn’t be neglected. Spray the seat and the inside of the toilet lid, as well as the rim of the toilet with your toilet bowl cleaner.
Use your cleaning cloth to wipe down the seat, lid, and hinges at the back of the seat. After you’ve finished cleaning the toilet seat, finish by scrubbing the toilet bowl.
Start from the top of the bowl and work your way down. Look under the rim to make sure that you get all the grime and stains. Scrub the bowl and then scrub the drain hole at the bottom of the toilet bowl. Close the lid and flush the toilet.
If your toilet has red or brown rust stains or mineral stains, use some baking soda to scrub the area and remove the stains. To finish, clean up any drips of water or cleaners and replace the items that you removed before cleaning the toilet.
Cleaning Bathroom Sink and Countertops
The sink in your bathroom is one of the most used areas, aside from the toilet, and needs frequent attention.
The bathroom sink and surrounding counters are where we wash our hands, brush our teeth, and place items, like makeup brush and hair brushes, which means you want to disinfect a bathroom and have this area as clean as possible. Adopting a simple daily routine will help keep your sink and counters clean in between deep cleaning.
Once a week, commit to a deeper clean of your bathroom sink and counters. Every week, start by removing all of the items from your counter so you can get to every surface.
As you remove items like toothbrush holders, antibacterial soap, and small bathroom plants, wipe them down with a clean, damp cleaning cloth. Next, stopper the sink and fill it with hot water to allow it to loosen the dirt and grime on the surface.
While you let the hot water sit, dust the light fixtures to remove dust and dirt. Use a clean cloth that is damp to wipe down the countertops to remove dirt, dust, and hair. Spray the countertops with the all-purpose cleaner and wipe clean. When you’re finished cleaning the countertops, drain the water from the sink. Spray the all-purpose cleaner in the sink basin and use a sponge to scrub clean.
To clean the sink fixtures, either spray the cleaner and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth, or use wet wipes to tackle the dirt, soap scum, and bacteria that builds up on the surface. To ensure your fixtures don’t end up with water spots, wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth. Replace your items in a tidy manner.
How to Clean the Bathroom Mirror
Now, that you’ve tackled the sink and countertops, you can finish off the area by cleaning the bathroom mirror. The bathroom mirror can get dirty quickly as it becomes smeared with soap, toothpaste, makeup, and hairspray, among other things. Sometimes these stains can be challenging to remove, especially without damaging the mirror.
Start by wiping the mirror down with a damp, lint-free cloth to remove loose dust or dirt from the surface. Then use a homemade glass and window cleaner to get the tough, stuck on dirt and stains off the glass.
Fill the jug half full of warm water, and add the ammonia, rubbing alcohol and dish soap to the container. Then use the rest of the water to fill the jug the rest of the way. Shake the bottle gently to combine all the cleaner ingredients, and pour some of the cleaner into a spray bottle.
Spray the mirror with the detergent and let sit for a few minutes to loosen up any stubborn water spots or soap scum that may be on the surface of the mirror. Use a microfiber cloth to scrub clean.
Best Way to Clean a Bathroom Floor
Bathroom floors get really dirty, especially behind the toilet and in the corners. Before you get down to cleaning bathroom flooring, you need take everything off the floor.
Remove and clean bathroom rugs with rubber backing and those without and set the trash can out of the way. After you’ve removed these items, sweep the floor to remove the loose hair, dirt, and other debris that might be cluttering the floor.
Start cleaning at the far end of your bathroom, paying attention to the corners and the area behind the toilet. After you’ve swept up the loose debris, you can use this vinegar floor cleaner recipe to tackle the stubborn dirt and grime on your floors.
Fill the bucket with the hot water, and slowly stir in the vinegar and dish soap. Use a mop or clean rags to apply the cleaner to the bathroom floor. Start at the far end of the bathroom and work your way toward the door.
When the mop or cloth starts to get dirty, rinse it out in the bucket. After you’ve scrubbed the entire floor with the cleaning solution, rinse out the material or mop with clean water, and go over the area again. Make sure to wipe away any excess water or soap residue, and don’t forget to rinse the mop frequently.
Deep Cleaning a Bathroom Drain
A slow-draining or clogged bathroom sink is a common issue for many households. Between the hair and the soap scum build up, your drain can become clogged pretty quickly. Fortunately, you can get all the pipes in your bathroom unclogged so you can get them draining correctly again, and all without the use of harsh commercial chemicals.
The first step is to remove the bathroom sink stopper. The stopper is where most of the hair and gummy soap scum like to attach, which is why the drain becomes clogged.
If you aren’t able to lift the stopper out, it means that it is held in place by the pivot rod, which will need to be removed. You can do this by releasing the stopper and removing the pivot rod nut and pulling out the pivot rod.
After you’ve removed the stopper, take a piece of electrical wire or light-duty clothes hanger and bend it into a tight hook. Push the wire into the drain as far as you can get it to go. Then slowly pull the wire back out to fish out the hair that is clogging the drain.
After you’ve removed all the hair and gunk from the pipe, replace the stopper, either by simply dropping it in, if it wasn’t held into place by the pivot rod, or by dropping the stopper into the drain and lining the slot up with pivot rod and reinserting it. Finally, tighten the pivot rod nut to secure the stopper. Clean the remaining soap scum and check the flow by running hot water down the drain.
How to Eliminate a Smelly Bathroom Drain
With the amount of residue, bacteria, and odor that accumulates in your bathroom sink drain, having an unpleasant smell emanating from your sink is a common problem for most households. Fortunately, with just a few simple household ingredients, you can keep the drain clean and free from odors with little effort.
This homemade all-natural drain cleaner recipe to clean a bathroom sink drain will eliminate the smells coming from your drain and keep it free of clogs. And, as a bonus, it’s simple and inexpensive to make.
Begin the process of eliminating the smell from your drain by removing the drain cover. Most drain covers are threaded into the pipe, so unscrew it by turning it to the left. If you can’t remove the cover, use a funnel to help direct the ingredients down into the drain.
When you have the drain cover off, pour the baking soda down the drain. Slowly add the vinegar to the pipe over the baking soda.
The mixture of baking soda and vinegar will bubble and fizz and eat away at anything that might be clogging the drain. After the mixture has finished fizzing, run the hot water down the drain to remove any vinegar and baking soda residue.
After you rinse the vinegar and baking soda down the drain, pour some lemon juice down the pipe to give your drain a fresh and clean scent.
Cleaning the bathroom is one household chore that everyone would love to ignore if they could. Not only is it one of the most used rooms in the house, but it can get to be the dirtiest in a short amount of time. This ultimate guide on how to clean a bathroom should help you get through the unwanted chore quickly to get your bathroom sparkly clean and ready for guests.
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