Your bathroom is one of the dirtiest spaces in your home. Due to the water, steam, and soap(ironically, bacteria can breed on soap), the room can become a breeding ground to fungus, bacteria, and unwanted odors. If left unchecked, the microbes can cause a wide range of health problems.
In this article, you will learn about the tools required to clean bathrooms and a bathroom cleaning checklist to consider. We will also look at mistakes to avoid when it comes to cleaning your bathroom.
Tools for Cleaning Bathrooms
Before we jump into the bathroom cleaning checklist, let’s explore some of the tools you require to deep clean a bathroom:
Rubber Gloves
Cleaning the bathroom is a dirty job. If you do it with bare hands, you expose yourself to the risk of contamination. To protect yourself, wear good rubber gloves. You can go further and wear goggles to protect your eyes from unexpected splashes.
Mop
If your bathroom is small enough, you can clean the floor with a sponge. However, if you have a bigger bathroom, use a mop. This will help you get the job done faster and avoid straining your back.
The best option is a twist mop with a replaceable head, since you can control the water and replace the head when it wears out.
A dry mop can also come in handy for removing cobwebs from the far corners of the ceiling.
Scrub Brush
This is one of the most versatile tools for bathroom cleaning. It is ideal for getting rid of tough stains, dried toothpaste, and soap scum from the bathroom sink, floor, walls.
Though brushes with synthetic bristles last longer, go for natural bristles which do not scratch surfaces. Electronic scrub brushes can make cleaning even easier.
Toilet Wand
Instead of getting on your hands and knees to scrub your toilet with a sponge or brush, you can invest in a toilet wand. This tool allows you to clean hard-to-reach places in your toilet bowl from a more comfortable distance. Look for a toilet wand that comes with a disposable head which you can refill.
Grout Brush
Tile is one of the most common surfaces in bathrooms. Due to the humid environment in bathrooms, you will often find grout between tiles collecting mildew and mold. To reach the tiny areas between tiles without scratching the surface, you will need a grout brush. An old toothbrush can also work.
Squeegee
Also known as a squilgee, a squeegee is a tool with a smooth, flat rubber blade. It will come in handy for removing water from your bathroom walls and doors after cleaning. You will find a wide range of squeegees selling on Amazon for under $15.
Microfiber Cloth
Microfiber cloths are ideal for cleaning shower heads, faucets, and bathroom counters. Since they are soft and non-abrasive, these cloths will not leave scratches. They are super-absorbent and pick up dirt easily without having to use harsh chemicals. Finally, microfiber cloths can be washed and reused numerous times.
Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
Now that you know the tools required for deep cleaning, let us look at a checklist for cleaning your bathroom.
The first step of your bathroom clean up should be to declutter. This involves getting rid of all the extra stuff that you no longer need, creating a calmer, more functional space.
Go through your countertops, drawers, medicine cabinet and cupboards to see what you can throw out. This includes things like unused towels, cosmetics, make-up brushes, skin care products, hair products, and expired medication.
Once all the bathroom has been decluttered, you can start cleaning. Here are some of the areas to focus on for your bathroom cleaning checklist:
Shower and Sink Drains
Hair, soap scum, minerals, and small objects tend to stick to the walls of your drain pipes. Over time, this gunk can accumulate and cause slow drains or blockages.
To prevent future clogs, clean your shower and sink drains as often as possible. Better still, protect your drains using ShowerShroom, TubShroom and SinkShroom. These products will keep hair out of your drains and minimize the possibility of blockage.
One of the best ways of cleaning your drains is using baking soda and vinegar. Simply pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by one cup of vinegar. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then flush the drain with hot water.
You could go further and use a drain snake to clear any gunk stuck further down your drain. Just insert the snake cable into the drain and push it in as far as possible. When you feel some resistance, turn the cable to hook up the clog and pull it out. Repeat this several times until the drain is clear.
Shower Curtains
Your shower doors or curtains are magnets for soap scum and breeding grounds for bacteria and mildew. To clean your shower curtain, simply sprinkle baking soda on an abrasive sponge, scrub thoroughly, and rinse well.
If the curtain is especially dirty, remove it and clean using the cold/delicate cycle of your washing machine, with one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar as the only detergents. To keep mildew from returning, add one cup of vinegar to the last rinse cycle.
To prevent mineral and scum build-up, keep a spray bottle of water and vinegar in the bathroom. After taking a shower, spray the shower curtain or doors.
Light Fixtures
Grime and dust can make your bulbs appear up to 50% dimmer. Cleaning light fixtures in your bathroom will ensure the ambience remains bright. First, turn off all the lights you intend to clean, and give them a few minutes to cool.
Using a microfiber cloth, gently wipe light fixtures, covers, and bulbs to get rid of surface dust. Remove the light covers or globes and soak them in warm, soapy water for about 10 minutes. Then, rinse them and allow them to air dry before replacing them.
Don’t forget to wipe light switches and toggles using the microfiber cloth.
Trash Can
Empty the trash can, then rinse it to remove any lingering particles. Using warm, soapy water and a bristle brush or sponge, give the inside and outside of the trash can a thorough scrub. You might also want to add a disinfectant to the water. Finally, rinse and leave the can outside to dry.
Toilets
Pour one cup of vinegar into your toilet and allow it to sit for about 25 minutes. Next, sprinkle some baking soda on a toilet brush and scrub any stained areas using a toilet brush or wand. Once this is done, flush the toilet.
Alternatively, you could pour a mixture of baking soda and vinegar into the bowl and let it sit for about 15 minutes before scrubbing clean. Don't forget to clean the toilet seat, as well as toilet cover.
Cleaning Your Bathroom: Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some of the mistakes people commonly make when it comes to cleaning the bathroom:
Not using a hair catcher
As mentioned earlier, hair build up is one of the main causes of blocked drains. The best way to prevent this is to install a drain protector which traps hair, thus saving you the trouble of getting hair out of the drain. While there are dozens of products in the market, ShowerShroom is the best option for showers. Use TubShroom to protect your tub drain and SinkShroom to protect your sink drain.
Using caustic drain cleaners
Most drain cleaners contain harsh chemicals. While they might be effective in clearing clogs, they can cause significant damage to other materials they come into contact with. Never use a liquid drain cleaner on PVC pipes or any other kind of plastic pipe. Caustic drain cleaners can also eat away at metal pipes over time.
Using the wrong product on chrome
Since chrome is a soft metal, it needs to be cleaned carefully. A hard scouring pad or scrub brush can scratch it. The best way to clean chrome is by using a soft cloth dipped in warm, soapy water.
Not giving cleaning products time to do their job
Don’t wipe off a cleaning solution right after you spray it. This doesn’t give the bathroom cleaning product enough time to get rid of bacteria. Let the bathroom cleaner sit for the amount of time recommended to allow it to disinfect as it should.
Do Spring Cleaning Right With a Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
To get your bathroom clean, start by collecting the necessary tools. This includes a microfiber cloth, scrub brush, mop, grout brush, squeegee, and toilet wand.
Your bathroom cleaning checklist should cover the shower door or curtain, light fixtures, trash can, drains, and toilet.
Are you looking to eliminate plumbing problems and clogged drains for good? Look no further than our complete 'Shroom drain protection line! We have award-winning solutions for every drain in your home.
More Articles from The Shroom Company
4 Reasons to Consistently Keep Your Bathroom Clean
How to Clean Your Clogged Sink? A Do's and Don'ts Guide
A List of the Most Common Things That Will Clog Your Pipes
Essential Cleaning Methods for Slow Draining Bathtubs
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