Let’s face it – when it comes to cleaning bathrooms, most people would rather have a root canal!
Learning and using simple techniques can make this unpleasant task a breeze – well, almost.
The trick here is to minimize motion and time by being well-prepared. The result will be a shining clean and sanitized bathroom that smells as clean as it looks.
Collect your cleaners – bleach, mildew remover, disinfectant liquid and spray, glass cleaner, soap scum remover (Soft Scrub , Lysol Tub & Tile Cleaner, etc.) and liquid furniture polish. Add a two gallon bucket, rubber gloves, a sturdy scrub brush, an old toothbrush, household sponge, paper towels and a couple of soft clean rags.
Wear your gloves to avoid getting harsh chemicals or irritants on your skin then spray the bathtub and shower stall with mildew remover or bleach. Allow it to “work” while you spray the toilet bowl inside and exterior with disinfectant.
Pour a little disinfectant inside the bowl and let that sit for a moment while you use a rag or sponge to wipe the rim and the outside of the bowl, down to the floor. Don’t overlook the seat and the lid, and the area behind the seat. Using your regular toilet bowl brush or your scrub brush, reach inside that bowl, apply elbow grease and give that bowl a good scrubbing – then flush!
Go back to your bathtub and shower that was sprayed with mildew remover – you may need to re-wet some surfaces but most of the work should be done for you. Removing soap scum can be an especially tedious job if there is a lot of build-up.
Grab your scrub brush, and – working from top to bottom – begin gently scrubbing the tub or shower walls, then the bottom. Rinse to find areas that still need attention, apply a little Soft Scrub ® (or similar product) and continue until the scum is gone.
Tub/shower doors may accumulate an especially stubborn build-up of soap scum. Again, using soap scum remover and a scrub brush along with elbow grease and a steady, over-lapping motion, scrub the glass from top to bottom. Use the toothbrush to scrub around seams, and the faucet and drain areas. Rinse all of the surfaces well, flooding with fresh water and allowing it to run off then wipe down with a dry clean rag. Glass enclosures benefit from an additional application of a glass cleaner, especially on the outside.
Moving on to the sink and counter, gather all objects and move them off the surface. Spray the counter top with disinfectant, and the sink with household cleaner and/or soap scum remover. A household sponge laminated with Teflon surfaces abrasive material works well for the bathroom sinks and counters. Take the toothbrush and scrub around the faucet and drain to loosen any gunk or mildew. Rinse the sink well with fresh water then, using paper towels, wipe down the entire counter, faucet, and sink.
When all bathroom fixtures are shining to your expectations, grab the furniture polish and a soft rag. Give your wooden counter faces a nice coat of polish to remove dust and protect from water stains.
