Of all the household chores, there is one that tends to be the most dreaded: cleaning the bathroom. Even if you are the kind of person who loves a sparkling home, it is likely not an activity that you particularly enjoy. However, that dirty bathroom is not going to clean itself. So, unless you want to hire a professional, you're going to have to clean a bathroom once in a while.
Though cleaning the bathroom is never going to be fun, there are ways to make your job easier. For a professional-level deep clean to brighten your bathroom, follow these 5 simple steps for how to clean a bathroom:
Clean as you go
To keep this chore from becoming a time-consuming ordeal, your first step should be to develop the habit of cleaning your bathroom as you go. Realistically, that doesn’t just mean picking up your dirty socks off the floor after a shower.
If you accidentally squirt some toothpaste on the sink or spill shampoo down the side of the tub, wipe it up right away. These messes will only solidify over time, making them harder to clean up later.
To prevent a gook and grime-filled shower, use a bathroom squeegee. A squeegee will make shower cleaning much easier. Using a bathroom squeegee to wipe shower walls after every use will help prevent shower mold and grime from producing.
Additionally, when done showering, pull the shower curtain closed all the way so water won’t sit in the folds. Doing a little extra work each day will make your regular deep cleaning less time-consuming and intensive.
Start with the basics
Once you get out your supplies, start by sweeping up dust and hair from the surface. It is better to do this before pulling out any of your cleaning sprays and other supplies. These can actually make it harder to lift dust and the like from the floor and counters. Once this step is complete, you can see what areas are going to need your attention for a little extra work.
Heat it up
The surfaces are swept and dusted—now you can get down to the more difficult messes. Even if you try to be intentional about cleaning as you go, there will be times when grime builds up, particularly in your tub or shower.
To make it easier to get rid of any buildup in these areas, Jenny Botero, resident manager of the Crystal Gateway Marriott, told HGTV that her team fills the tub with a couple inches of hot water and lets it sit for a few minutes before wiping down the surface to increase the effectiveness of alkaline cleaners.
This hot water trick also works on tile floors and other similar areas. Be careful that you do not leave any water behind when you are done cleaning.
Hot water can work wonders on some clogged drains as well. Pour boiling water down a clogged sink or shower and see if that does the trick before trying any harsher cleaning products.
Spray, spread, sit before you scrub
When you spray a cleaning solution on your bathroom surfaces, what do you do next? If you wipe it away, you are making your work more difficult for yourself. Leaving the bathtub cleaner or other cleaning product on for a few minutes allows it to break down the residue that is collected on your counters and tub.
To get a deep clean, first, spray the surfaces of your bathroom and use a sponge or cloth. This will evenly spread the cleaning product around the surfaces. Then, to give the disinfectants time too work, leave the sprayed surfaces to sit for about five to seven minutes.
When you return with a sponge or cloth and begin rubbing the areas, you will likely find that the residue comes off much easier.
Steam clean tiles
Cleaning bathroom tiles can be a difficult and tiresome hands-on task. To easily clean tiled shower stalls, let steam do the dirty work. Steam cleaners can be used on various surfaces and different materials around your house for deep cleaning to remove built-up dirt. However, steam cleaning isn’t just for carpets.
By heating the material, a steam cleaner will open the pores in a material’s surface, releasing even the most tightly held dirt, says Cleanipedia. Simply apply steam to the surface of your bathroom tile. Then, use a sponge or rag to wipe off the grime and muck.
Sometimes even deep cleaning is not enough to revitalize an old bathroom. If your faucets or shower head are rusting or otherwise in disrepair, consider treating your bathroom to a new look.
Visit a Kitchen & Bath Classic showroom today to view our selection of bathroom fixtures from all of your favourite designers.
