Bathroom Cleaning

If you ignore bathroom cleaning it can quickly get out of hand. A clean bathroom is something everyone wants and needs, and so here are a few tips for bathroom cleaning tasks to be done on a regular basis:

Daily Bathroom Cleaning Jobs.

For hygiene reasons it is best to clean the toilet every day – this should involve putting bleach, or a natural substitute, down the toilet bowl, and also wiping around the toilet and seat with a cleaning solution. If possible, it is better to leave some toilet cleaning solutions in the toilet overnight, before flushing in the morning.

Getting into the habit of wiping down the bathroom after use is a great idea. Quite often the bathroom looks dirty, when in fact it is largely water stains, mould due to water left behind taps, and limescale. By wiping down and drying the sink, bath and shower after each use, this will help keep it looking clean for longer.

Weekly Bathroom Cleaning Jobs

Every week you should give the bathroom a proper clean; put soda crystals or similar down the plugholes to keep drainage maintained, clean the sink, toilet, bath and shower, clean any shelves, and the mirrors and windows. Clean the tiles on the wall, paying attention to keeping the grout clean, a toothbrush can be used for this. Finally, clean the floor using a cleaner that has strong cleaning properties, be it a multi-purpose bathroom cleaner, floor cleaner, or a homemade solution with vinegar.

It is easier to keep your bathroom clean if clutter in the bathroom is kept to a minimum. Give everything a place, and don’t have too many products open at once as this will also contribute to clutter. If you do not have sufficient storage in the bathroom, then it is a better idea to keep items such as bath towels and toiletries in an accessible place elsewhere.

Shower Door Cleaning

A clean and smear free shower door will go a long way in helping the bathroom look it’s best. Hard water can leave water marks on this shiny surface, as well as the usual soap and shampoo residue. You might already have or use a glass cleaner, specific shower door cleaner, or something similar, however there is a simple homemade solution that cuts through soap scum and will leave your shower door sparkling.
Use a cup of vinegar in a bowl of warm/hot soapy water, use a sponge or cloth to wash the shower door with the solution, a non-scratch abrasive bathroom sponge may be required if the grime has built up. After this, give a quick rinse and then dry with a microfibre cloth or other lint free cloth. Be sure to get in all of the corners as these little nooks can turn black if small amounts of water are left to sit in them. The result will be a sparkling clean shower door.

A third part vinegar in a spray bottle with water is good to have by the shower for daily wiping down after using the shower, this is an effective and non-toxic alternative to glass cleaners and window cleaners, and of course is much less expensive too. Vinegar is a natural antibacterial agent, but is also known to keep glass and similar surfaces smear free.

Shower Seal Cleaning

It is far easier to prevent the shower seal from getting dirty, than to try and get a grubby shower seal back to white. Sometimes the only thing for it is to remove the old sealant and replace it with fresh sealant, however if you are not quite at that stage yet, there are some things you can try.

White vinegar or bleach can be used to clean the sealant around the shower – try soaking kitchen roll with one of these and then laying this on the sealant, and allow it to work it’s magic for a few hours. Vinegar acts as a natural bleaching agent. Just be sure that you are not using this on stone or ceramic or anything it may cause damage to.

Another way you can tackle shower seal cleaning is to use bicarbonate of soda, mix it to a paste with warm water, and use an old toothbrush to scrub it with. Alternatively, an old toothbrush with some bleach or white vinegar can also do the trick. Try to clean it like this as part of your weekly bathroom cleaning routine, and this should prevent it from getting grimey. It is recommended that you always dry around the sealant after a shower, or after cleaning, as water can cause black mould.

Shower Head Cleaning

If your showerhead is not regularly cleaned then you will find that it sprays water unevenly, due to the fact that the holes have gotten clogged up with mineral deposits from the water over time. In order to keep the water flowing freely, these mineral deposits should be removed. This is easy to do, and if you maintain your shower head you will have no problems with blockages or uneven water spray again.

One way to remove mineral deposits from a blocked shower head is to soak the showerhead in vinegar. The shower head should easily screw away from the arm, allowing you to soak it in a bowl.

A tip for if you are unable to remove the showerhead from the arm, is to attach a plastic bag firmly with elastic bands, and then pour white vinegar into the bag. Leave it to soak for about an hour, before removing and blasting water through. This should be then be cleared, and you can wipe dry with a cloth. Be sure to only use vinegar on protected metal shower heads and materials where damage won’t occur. If the mineral deposits are proving difficult to dissolve or remove, you can soak it overnight in vinegar, or scrub at them with an old toothbrush, or even use a toothpick to try and push them out. When you are happy that your showerhead is clean, reassemble it. The water should now freely flow, giving a cleaner and more hygienic shower.