Quick Bathroom Cleaning Supplies And Tips
Cleaning the bathroom probably doesn’t come close to topping your list of favorite activities. After all, there are few things more unpleasant than a filthy bathroom. Nonetheless, it’s one of those things that has to be done.
When it’s time to clean the bathroom, you want to make sure thoroughly tackle all the surfaces. That way, you can keep the bathroom tidy with routine maintenance, so the next time you clean, it doesn’t take that long. Use the following checklist to help get your powder room into pristine condition.
PREP FOR YOUR CLEAN
It takes time to remove heavy soil build-up, so you’ll want to plan your bathroom clean in advance. Set a scheduled day and time to clean your bathroom, and stick to it. Neatly fold and hang towels, and go ahead and put the bathmat in the washing machine. You’ll also want to pull the shower curtain to one side, so you have no problem reaching all the surfaces in the shower. And if you’re using strong cleaning products, don’t forget to change into clothes that you don’t mind being damaged or stained.In addition to keeping shower scrubs and grout cleaner off your clothes, you want to keep it off your toiletries. Clear the shower of toothbrushes, toothpaste, loofas, shampoos and so forth. You can set these on a clean towel on the bathroom floor.
SCOUR THE SHOWER
You wouldn’t think a place associated with cleanliness could get dirty, but it does. To make your shower shine, you’ll need to be prepared to clean the following:- Showerhead: The showerhead needs love, too. Fortunately, getting rid of mineral deposits and gunk is as easy as soaking the fixture overnight in white vinegar. Just mix one part vinegar and one part water in a plastic sandwich bag. Secure that to the shower head with a rubber band, and you’re set.
- Shower walls, floors and doors: You can make a scum remover using a solution of ¼ cup vinegar and ¾ cup water. Mix the liquids in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat before loading the solution into a spray bottle. Spray your shower walls, floor and door with the mixture and let that sit for about 3 minutes. Then, wipe everything down. Be careful though, you should never use vinegar on stone floors.
- Drains: Take out bathtub stoppers and hair catchers and clear them of any gunk. It’s not pleasant, but it’ll help keep your drain flowing in the future. That means you don’t have to worry about standing in a pool of dirty water as you shower.
SCRUB THE TUB
Bathtubs are great for soaking, but long baths have a tendency to leave unsightly rings around the tub. Additionally, regular showers in a shower/tub combo can result in a soap scum nightmare at the bottom of the tub basin.But before you pull out the scrub brush and scouring agents, what is your tub made of? While porcelain tubs are fairly resilient, enamel and acrylic (or plastic) tubs can fade or get scratched if you use overly harsh or acidic chemicals. So when cleaning enamel and acrylic tubs, you might want to rely on a liquid cleaner, though you’ll want to hold off on bleach or vinegar. If a stain is really tough, you can call on the powers of scouring powder. However, it’s smart to test a spot on the bathtub first to rule out potential stains or damage.
SINK
Washing the sink is going to be a breeze after you’ve tackled the shower and the tub, because it’s pretty much a miniature version of both. As with the tub, you’ll want to check to see what kind of material your sink is made from before you decide on a cleaner. (Unless you’re in a historic home or apartment, it’s probably porcelain or ceramic.) And like the shower, you’ll want to pull the stopper out and give it a good wipe down.TOILET
Naturally, you’ll need a toilet brush and some toilet cleaner here. That’s a given. However, don’t forget to don some gloves and get under the rim of the toilet so that you get all of the fun things growing under there out. In addition, use a general cleaner to thoroughly wash down every side of your toilet seat. Finally, remember to wipe the toilet tank, lid and sides.DON’T FORGET THE DETAILS
Now that you’ve cleaned the major parts of the bathroom, it’s time to focus on the room’s smaller components.- Fixtures:There are metal fixtures all through your bathroom, from the bathtub faucet to the toilet tank lever. These all need buffing to be at their shiniest. Wipe your fixtures with a damp microfiber cloth. Then rinse the cloth and buff the fixtures until you see that shine come back.
- Mirrors: Nobody wants to gaze into a mirror flecked with toothpaste and steam stains. Polish yours with glass cleaner and a soft microfiber cloth.
- Grout: Why someone decided grout should be lightly colored is beyond us. But it is, so you’ll need to keep the stains out. Here you’ll need grout cleaner, a scrub brush or toothbrush, a little patience and a lot of elbow grease.
- Floors: A deep clean of the bathroom is exhausting, so it can be easy to forget to make your floors shine.
