Quick Basics for Cleaning the Bathroom

When it comes to cleaning the bathroom most people would much rather do just about anything else. I mean, let’s face it, who finds scrubbing the toilet fun?

The bathroom is where you get ready for the day and a clean bathroom is essential, if it’s not clean – it becomes a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.

If you follow these simple yet effective techniques for cleaning bathroom surfaces, you’ll always have a clean bathroom to wake up to.

List of Bathroom Cleaning Supplies

What supplies do you need for cleaning the bathroom? It’s a matter of personal choice, below is a list of items you may want to use.

• Disinfectant
• Comet
• Bowl cleaner
• Soft scrub
• Sponges
• Hand brush
• Toilet brush
• Tooth brush
• Window cleaner
• Cleaning rags
• Cleaning gloves
• Vacuum
• Mop
• Swiffer duster

How to Clean the Bathroom

Step 1 – Pickup and PreClean

Begin by cleaning counters of any bottles, razors, toys, makeup items and picking up dirty clothes from the floor and putting things in their proper place. Look up and around and check for cob webs and dust on lights, fan, top of shelves, the top of the mirror and other fixtures. Use a duster and/or vacuum and clean these areas.

Step 2 – Cleaning the Toilet

Treat the inside of toilet with either the toilet bowl cleaner, disinfectant or comet (whatever your choice is) and use the toilet brush to scrub the inside, we’ll let this sit while we move on to cleaning the exterior of the toilet (be sure to get under the rim).

Spray the exterior with disinfectant and wipe down with a cleaning rag, be sure to clean the cover, tank and around the bottom of the toilet then with another clean rag, dry outside surface. When finished with the outside, give a quick scrub on the inside again and flush.

Step 3 – Cleaning the Shower and Bathtub

Remove shampoo bottles, toys, soap, etc. and set those off to the side. Spray the shower walls and fixtures with disinfectant or all-purpose cleaner and use a scrub brush or sponge to clean the surface. Let sit and sprinkle the tub area with either comet or disinfectant and scrub tub walls and floor.

When you’ve finished cleaning tub area, rinse everything you just cleaned with warm water until clean. Dry surface with a clean rag (not the one you used on the toilet).

If there is mold, mildew or soap scum you will need to use a soap scum remover like Soft Scrub and use a toothbrush as well as a little elbow grease to remove it. This part can be done prior to cleaning walls, rinse thoroughly before using another product.

If necessary, remove shower curtain and liner (or replace liner if needed) and wash in the washing machine.

Step 4 – Cleaning Counters and Sink

Spray sink and counter with disinfectant or all-purpose cleaner. Use a sponge to clean surfaces and fixtures. If a product like hair spray is used and there is a film, you may need to spray the surface again. Wipe down cabinet doors and dry with clean rag.

Step 5 – Cleaning Mirrors and Windows

To clean mirrors, spray the glass cleaner on a clean rag then wipe down and dry. If there are windows in the bathroom, clean that with the glass cleaner as well and dry so there are no streaks.

Step 6 – Clean the Floor

Use the floor attachment of the vacuum cleaner prior to mopping so you get up dust bunnies, hair and any dirt.

Use a Swiffer wet mop to clean floors then dry. If baseboards are dirty, wipe down with cleaning rag and disinfectant.

If floors are marble, use only an appropriate cleaner or you could damage the surface.

Cleaning Soap Scum

Soap scum is the bane of all house cleaners. At Mrs Clean, we remove soap scum with an acidic type cleaning mixture like white vinegar and water, or an abrasive cleanser such as comet and soft scrub.

There is no perfect product for removing soap scum. Find a product you are satisfied and it just takes a little old fashioned elbow grease to remove it completely.

Soft scrub can be used on any tub or showers and enclosure. Comet can be used on claw foot tubs because these are porcelain and stains will not come out with other products.

Be careful with abrasives on tile, it can scratch easily.

It may sound like a lot of hard work, but once you’ve got the bathroom cleaning down, you will get into a routine and cleaning your bathroom will no longer feel like an all day chore.

Did We Miss Anything?

I believe we were pretty thorough but don’t forget to empty the garbage, wash rugs if necessary, oh, and keep a squeegee in the shower to wipe down walls after a shower to help keep surfaces clean in between cleanings.